QED3 The Spare Heretic
by slytherinsal
Summary: Inquisitor Quaestorius is on a planet that had been plagued by a chaos infestation. His grim task has been to oversee the questioning and execution of heretics. He is disturbed to have one more body than there had been heretics...
1. Chapter 1

_This isn't __completed though I have all the notes, timings, plot outline etc; So I shall be posting approximately weekly. That should give me a chance to finish writing it... thanks Malicean for prodding me into getting back to it. I hope it's worth waiting for! _

**1**

The planet Tigris was a huge orange, yellow and white gas giant that circled an undistinguished red giant. Its only habitation was on the vast gas mining platform known as Tigris city.

Tigris City had come a long way since it had been a decommissioned Imperial battlecruiser of the obsolete and almost forgotten 'Devastator' class. Her very name had been forgotten save by those unfortunate denizens of her lowest levels who might read – if indeed they could read – the occasional plaque that had been attached to what had once been removable equipment, now usually rusted solid into place. But it had been a long time since HIMS Annihilation had been anything but Tigris City. Her huge warp engine had been ripped out and replaced, partly with the powerful antigrav drive that held her in the upper atmosphere; the rest of the space was devoted to the vast tanks and purification plants into which the Helium 3 and other precious gases she mined were pumped. Added to the underside of her hull were the enormous scoops built to trawl for those gases.

The upper levels too had been heavily modified. Above the upper decks and bridge now graceful spires climbed, homes to the upper classes and wealthy, housing temples to the Immortal Emperor all built in the smug contemplation of that other immortal god, wealth. The whole of the upper surface was enclosed in a bubble of air held by a forcefield so that the city's beautiful people might walk unhampered outside and enjoy the traceries and flying buttresses of the architecture, splendidly decorated with carvings and statuary, clusters of what should have been acanthus leaves at the capitol of every column. The sculptor had never seen acanthus leaves; but he had done his best. Between the graceful gothic spires were verdant parks artfully laid out with controlled and ordered hedges, lovingly tortured into geometric shapes for the delectation of those wealthy enough to be permitted in this region. Even the servitors that tended the gardens were modified as unobtrusively as possible and dressed in simple brown robes reminiscent of gardener monks to cause no offence to the delicate senses of the elite. The city's upper surface was designed for visual gratification. Of course there was war damage: Tigris had only been brought back into the protection of the Imperium in the last generation, after having been lost for several hundred years. Times had been leaner for the population then, though some trade had taken place with local, similarly forgotten, colonies. Now, however, rebuilding and new building projects were taking place under the energetic direction of Governor Carcillus Boradan Lussus, son of the first Imperially installed governor, Boradius Carcillan Lussus.

oOoOo

Of the history of Tigris City, the inquisitor Quaestorious knew little; though certain configurations of her lines made him surmise something of her origins. That it was ancient he could guess at, since the design was such as was now used only by those Chaos warriors who had been seduced together with their fleets to join the Horus Heresy. It was, in any case, heresy of a much more recent date that had occupied him here.

The inquisitor stood by a huge window that had once perhaps been a gun port in one of the upper levels; and contemplated the stars.

oOoOo

There was a hideous gargling noise at Quaestorious' elbow. He turned slowly, recognising it as a discrete clearing of the throat by his Ogryn bodyguard, Burdock. The gigantic warrior stood there with a steaming mug of coffee. Quaestorious smiled a rare smile of genuine pleasure.

"Ah, Burdock, how do you do it!" he said, accepting the beverage gratefully. Burdock grinned.

"I found an eatery, me lud, and asked them if they'd like to do the Inquisitor a favour" he explained, cheerfully. "Dey was very helpful!"

Quaestorious reflected that they probably would be. Cynically he suspected that the restaurateurs – probably more up market than Burdock's description of an 'eatery' implied – had interpreted Burdock's innocent and genuine request as an implied threat. And had been only too willing to avoid entanglements with the Imperial Inquisition. However, he had no intention of shattering Burdock's cheerful illusions; and besides he was grateful. It had not been pleasant interrogating the seventeen leaders of a chaos cult that had been stamped out here by the Blood Marines, even with the able assistance of the Psychology of the Blood Angel Chaplain Theontos. Quaestorious was pleased that the interrogations had proceeded satisfactorily without recourse to the inefficient savagery of torture, but he mourned the lost souls, now executed by Marine firing squad and awaiting his final checking and ratification to show that all had been done according to the law. He was required to check the bodies over to be sure that all had been killed to prevent the return of some undead chaos monster or some other aberration. He was not looking forward to the task. The Inquisitor drained his mug, stared into it for a moment, then put it firmly down on a ledge.

"We had better get on with our duty, Burdock" he said, without a great deal of enthusiasm. "Have you the map?"

Burdock nodded eagerly, rummaging in the capacious pockets he had asked for in the gaudy clothing he had chosen when Quaestorious had taken him into his service. He brought out a rather weathered map of the upper levels of Tigris City and passed it to the Inquisitor. Quaestorious looked pointedly, but silently at its stained appearance as he took it and raised one arched eyebrow. Burdock shuffled guiltily and Quaestorious relented.

"All right, Burdock, I'm not angry" he said. "At least you always know where to find things. Even if they do come away looking slightly….used."

Burdock looked abashed.

"It was de coffee" he explained. "I kinda spilled some when I was figgerin' out how to find you again."

Quaestorious nodded understanding. Burdock was slow, but by no means stupid; and he always meant well. He had been trained in basic hygiene, unlike many Ogryn who were not, alas, considered worth bothering over. And he always knew when the inquisitor needed a coffee. For his virtues, Quaestorious could easily put up with the occasional clumsiness and carelessness!

Burdock volunteered,

"Dis Guvnor, he ain't so bad, huh?"

Quaestorious considered.

"He appears to demonstrate a modicum of efficiency" he agreed cautiously. Governor Lussus was from a military background, an ex soldier and adventurer within the Imperial Guard until his father died and he had been summoned home to take control. Quaestorious knew he had been made a colonel at the age of twenty nine, very young indeed. He had the experience to sum up the military situation concerning the chaos cultists and the self confidence to realise that the problem was beyond him and his militia and so to call for aid. It spoke well of his common sense, and considering his record as a man of decision and action did not suggest that he was one who would whine for Imperial troops for every problem. His drive and energy were apparent in the building projects he had insisted on showing Quaestorious – the Inquisitor's calves began hurting again just to think of all the stairs he had climbed – and he even seemed moderately intelligent, something Quaestorious had few hopes of finding in military officers outside the Marines. Even so, the Inquisitor did not particularly like Governor Lussus. It was nothing he could put his finger on; but perhaps it was merely because he had never liked bluff hearty types. Although many took him for an ascetic, Quaestorious considered that care for one's health was very important; and if he occasionally forgot to eat or sleep in his zeal to solve a problem, he did not neglect either cleanliness or exercise that kept his slender body taut and hard, a condition that had surprised many a malefactor expecting to find the tall but lean man a pushover. Yet he had no love either for those who considered that the pinnacle of human perfection was to be attained through a ritual of morning exercises and cold showers. Generally they tended towards the insensitive and unconsciously unkind to those they considered 'weaklings'. Quaestorious suspected that the Governor was one of these types, especially when he remembered the way the man had looked at the youth he had introduced as his son. The look had despised the young man, a rather pretty boy, overdressed and studiously languid. Quaestorious thought that he probably acted the fop to annoy his father, having learned early on that he was never going to make the man proud with a less than vigorous frame. Although he himself disliked social butterflies, Quaestorious could not help a sneaking sympathy for young Loridas Carcillan Lussus. Still, as Burdock said, or at least meant, the older Lussus was getting on with the job of governing; which was a reminder that he was neglecting his own job by staring into the middle distance. Consulting the map again, Quaestorious led his bodyguard through the labyrinthine passages past the temple courtyard where the execution had taken place to the antechamber of the city incinerator where any post mortem examinations necessary were generally carried out, prior to disposal of bodies; there were slabs to that end where the bodies were laid.

oOoOo

The corpses had been laid out neatly for Quaestorious' examination. Servitors were just laying out the last as he arrived. Quaestorious pondered the question as to who had had the less enviable punishment – the executed heretics, or the servitors, stripped of their memories and personalities and bound into the living death of cyborg bodies for unspeakable crimes. On the whole, he thought, being dead would be preferable. At least one had then the chance to prostrate oneself and beg for cleansing and forgiveness before the mercy of the Emperor. He wondered in horrified fascination, not for the first time, what happened to the souls of servitors. Did they leave the bodies to go before the Emperor when the mind was wiped? Did they –horror!- cease to exist? Or worst, perhaps of all, did they float in some terrible limbo until the physical body that had once been human died to provide a blessed release? Again, not for the first time, he wondered whether anyone had the right to inflict such a punishment with such fundamental questions unanswered. Yet, by this means, the wicked might be purged of their crimes and serve the Imperium. Surely the Blessed Emperor would be moved to forgive criminals so shriven?

Adroitly Quaestorious stepped back to avoid the last servitor as he – it – left the corpses and returned within. Burdock had stepped forward, a puzzled frown on his face, counting carefully on his fingers.

"Boss" he said urgently "Why have we got a spare heretic?"

"What do you mean?" asked Quaestorious testily, then bit his tongue in exasperation at himself as Burdock looked hurt. It was unforgivable that he should take out his bad mood on an underling. More gently he added "Why do you say we have a, er, spare heretic, Burdock.?"

Burdock chewed his lip with his big fangs and scratched a snowstorm of dandruff from his tow coloured hair as he thought how to frame his answer.

"Well, sah" he began "I was countin' them – for practice, see – an' I counted them from lef' to right, then I counted them from right to lef'." He frowned in thought. "Or was it de uvver way round?" he wondered, staring at his big hands. His right hand had the word 'salute' tattooed across the knuckles so he would know which hand to salute with; but dealing in abstracts was beyond most Ogryn, even one as intelligent as Burdock. Quaestorious smiled soothingly, swallowing irritation,

"You counted them first from one end and then the other, you mean?" he asked. Burdock nodded vigorously, dislodging another cloud of dandruff.

"Dat right sah!" he agreed. "An' dere's eighteen of 'em. Di'n't you say dat dere was seventeen heretics?"

Quaestorious resisted the temptation to ask 'are you sure?' because Burdock never made an unequivocal statement unless he was sure. He just decided to double check in case the Ogryn was mistaken. It did not matter from which end he started the count. Eighteen corpses were laid out before him. And there had, definitely, been only seventeen heretics. He said,

"Yes, Burdock, there were only seventeen. Which leads us to ask why there are eighteen corpses. Not, I suspect a spare, er, heretic, nor yet even a heretic at all. Just a spare corpse. And before we start asking things like 'who', 'why' and 'how' we need to know 'which'.. Can I trust myself to find one out of all of these that I do not recognise, changed as they are in death, and not having known them as more than a series of prisoners?"

oOoOo

In the event, it was easy to pick the odd man out. It was the one with the mutilated body, to first glance tortured. The face had been burned beyond recognition; and when Quaestorious studied the supposed bolter wound that had been the means of execution he frowned. It was superficially similar to the others; the skin was charred. But it was uneven. Quaestorious nodded briefly; and determined to study it more deeply in a Mortis Investigatus. However, he still had his duty to perform here. Ordering Burdock to carry their extra corpse into the temple and make ready a place of Investigatus for him there, the inquisitor went about the grim business of checking all the other bodies and praying for their souls to see the light and be saved.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Quaestorious was just coming into the temple when he met Theontos. The Chaplain seemed less intimidating without his armour on, thought Quaestorious, or perhaps that was only relative because he was becoming used to the presence of the aloof but dryly humorous space marine. Theontos looked anything but humorous now; his face was troubled.

"I saw Burdock bringing in a body." He began without preamble. "All I could get out of him was that it was a 'spare heretic'. What chaos evil have you uncovered that you must needs have the scum brought inside the Blessed Emperor's sanctum?" he sounded mildly disapproving. Quaestorious permitted himself a dry smile.

"Poor Burdock, he has become attached to that phrase." He said. "There is no need for concern, Theontos – at least, not that kind of concern – because there's no proof that this particular corpse is even mildly heretical. His presence is…. unaccounted for." He frowned suddenly, and his features took on a stern, gaunt appearance as he did so. "Someone seeks to use my presence to dispose of an inconvenient body, someone who went to the trouble of hiding the facial mutilations that cover the victims identity by apparent torture marks such as might be expected from the Inquisition."

Theontos looked shocked.

"Who would dare to so insult your intelligence?" he wondered. "Such an impertinence is almost a blasphemy. Who can have done it? And why?"

"Those are questions to which I intend to find answers" the Inquisitor said, grimly. "I will not brook some insolent little murderer to treat this holy mission, not to mention the holy offices that you and I hold, as though it were his personal convenience. I must stay here and investigate. Will you be able to assist me?" he asked, politely, consciously unclenching the fist that he found had balled under its own volition at his anger. Theontos shook his head.

"We cannot stay long." He said regretfully. "There are few enough space marines and we must be on our way soon. We shall have to return your young apprentice to you and go."

Quaestorious had left his apprentice, Kiliana, on the space marines' ship as he felt she was as yet too young to be involved in the interrogation of chaos worshipping heretics. He nodded. She would be of help to him with her bright, enquiring mind. He asked,

"Could you grant me a boon? Stay just another day or two? I have need of Ancalon's talents."

"You need our Librarian?" Theontos was surprised. "I thought Inquisitors were psychers themselves."

Quaestorious shrugged.

"Not all. I have some, limited talents in that field, but I spoke of other talents. When we were in Ancalon's rooms, I noticed that he is a remarkably able sculptor."

"That is so." Theontos was growing more puzzled. Quaestorious explained.

"Our corpse" he said "has no face. It has been burned, cut and mutilated beyond recognition. After I have completed the Mortis Investigatus, I wish to boil the skull in a sodium carbonate solution to remove the flesh; and ask Ancalon to build a face upon the skull. His sculptor's instincts will tell him where the contours of the face should go; and will, I hope produce a reasonable likeness."

Theontos looked dubious.

"I will certainly ask him" he agreed, "But you are expecting a lot."

Quaestorious shook his head.

"Were he just a sculptor, even with years of experience, it would be difficult" he said. "But Ancalon is a psyker. Because he will be working directly onto the skull, the features will speak to him as the very bones remember the face they once bore. I am untalented artistically. It is why I so admire talent in others. But even I, with my meagre psychic abilities sense something of a face. But I could not commit it to a permanent record" he shrugged. "We serve where our abilities lie. Mine is investigation."

Theontos nodded.

"It shall be even as you say, Inquisitor" he agreed, formally, then added, "Take care, Quaestorious. Any so desperate and daring as to try this blasphemy may have no qualms at adding an inquisitor to their kill list. I lose enough friends in battle. And, strange as it may seem, I have learned to consider you a friend."

Quaestorious pulled his mouth into a half smile.

"Strange perhaps." He said. "Yet I do not notice the Imperium falling apart in horror and disbelief because members of the Fraternes Astartes and the Left Hand of the Emperor may admit personal friendship." He held out his hand; and the big marine clasped wrists with him.

"We may meet again, Quaestorious" he said. "But now I must go. I have been from my duties too long, and those of my brothers who pursued the chaos marines will be returning shortly. They will need me. Emperor go with you" he added.

"And with you."

oOoOo

Quaestorious watched the Chaplain depart with regret. He prayed that the rumoured taint in the Blood Marines' gene seed would never affect Theontos and turn him over to chaos; but that if it did, that he, Quaestorious, would be in a position to hunt him down. Such a friend deserved to be killed with love under such circumstances.

oOoOo

Quaestorious undertook a thorough examination of the body before he even considered taking up a scalpel. Carefully he washed away the dried, encrusted blood, that he might see where there were wounds; the flesh between the wounds was young and well cared for, not as a nobleman might care for it but as a healthy youngster in the peak of condition. The muscles were well developed and hard. The major wound seemed to be the wound in the chest; there was also the brutal emasculation from which, Quaestorious thought, most of the blood had come. Other cuts had been made but they had a curiously bloodless appearance at the lips as though the cuts had been made after death, after bleeding was impossible. Quaestorious had a gut feeling that the emasculation might also have been performed after death; but so soon that blood still flowed. Burn marks on the body seemed designed to simulate torture – there was no indication of the victim having flinched, causing a secondary, lighter burn as usually happened unless he be entirely immobilised. Even so, the skin would flinch, and there would be signs. The face bore the most of the burning; but when Quaestorious looked closely, he could see that the burns covered frenzied, savage slash marks. The burns seemed to be laid along the slashes, to hide their origin, and also to burn away the young man's features. The cuts on the other hand would not necessarily have disguised the identity of the youth, though his features would have been marred. An amateurish attempt rectified later - or another reason? The inquisitor turned his attention to the supposed bolter wound, cutting carefully away down into the wound. He gave a grunt of satisfaction..

"Sah?"

Burdock was watching the proceedings with interest, if distaste. Quaestorious looked up.

"This is no bolter wound – as I thought" he said. "The wound has been burned with a hot poker or similar to simulate it. Here, deeper in the wound, the nature of the death blow to the heart is apparent. This man was stabbed."

Burdock looked awed. His opinion of Quaestorious did not stop far short of that of the Emperor. In Burdock's opinion, no-one in the Imperium was cleverer than his master. This revelation was proof of it!

Quaestorious worked next at removing the corpse's head. He needed to get it clean for Ancalon to work on as soon as possible so as not to delay the Space Marines longer than necessary. He set the head to boil in the sodium carbonate solution – to the fearful and unspoken disapproval of various temple staff – while he turned his attention to examining the wound tissues microscopically.

What he found shocked him into a blistering oath.

The tissues of the body had been badly damaged, the cells burst open. What on earth could cause that?

The answer came to him in a blinding flash.

Water expands when it freezes, he recalled. And most of the human body is water. The body had spent some time frozen.

Completion of the Mortis Investigatus confirmed that a stab wound to the heart had been the cause of death. Quaestorious gathered samples to sent to Ancalon for genetic scanning – the marines would have more sophisticated equipment for that than he – so that the victim's colouring could be determined. He had only to wait for the head to finish boiling off and he could dispatch the grisly package to the marines' ship. He became aware of hovering Ecclesiarchs and gave them a blandly challenging look. All dropped their eyes but one, who pushed through the others.

"I have just heard of this abomination!" He cried. What is the meaning of this?"

"And you are…?" Quaestorious raised a supercilious eyebrow.

"I am Father Torquilan, ecclisiast to the Governor! I have only just been informed of the full horror of this!" the sturdy little priest stood, arms akimbo, regarding Quaestorious with smouldering eyes. Quaestorious regarded him thoughtfully.

"You are of course correct" murmured the inquisitor "To refer to this blasphemous impudence as an abomination. But with the aid of the Mortis Investigatus and….other methods, I shall discover the perpetrator."

"What?" the little man seemed taken aback.

"Wot INQUISITOR!" barked Burdock. Burdock was, himself pretty informal, but he was aware that certain dignities were due to the Inquisitor. He had also taken a dislike to the officious ecclesiast. Father Torquilan glared at him. Quaestorious murmured.

"Quite so, Burdock. Thank you.". Burdock looked pleased. Quaestorious continued, "so as you have been informed of the impious use of the Imperial Inquisition by some murderer hoping that I am unable to count – or perhaps unaware that I am obliged to examine the executed bodies – you are doubtless here to offer your aid and throw the resources of the temple behind my investigation into this sordid little murder. I thank you on behalf of the Inquisition." He smiled benignly: but his eyes held steel. Torquilan stared open mouthed.

"Er…yes, of course." He stuttered tamely. "I had not been apprised of all…"

Quaestorious smiled again. It was not an expression Burdock had often seen; and it made the inquisitor look very predatory. He purred,

"Of course, one does wonder when the murder was committed – and whether the potential of a large number of bodies influenced anyone in the remarkable decision to keep the heretics here instead of making my task easier by sending them with the Space Marines to meet me."

Torquilan went red and spluttered.

"The governor gave the order to keep them here on MY suggestion!" he declared, a vein on his forehead throbbing. Quaestorious lifted his sculpted eyebrows.

"Indeed? And why should you do that? It has been most inconvenient for me." He said. The ecclesiast scowled.

"Surely THAT is obvious, inquisitor." He said, trying to sound superior.

"Enlighten my ignorance."

The little priest achieved a sneer.

"It would be most harmful to send heretics with space marines." He asseverated smugly. "We all know how _fragile_ their faith is and how close to chaos and heresy they sail, don't we?"

A flash of anger crossed Quaestorious face, then he schooled it to immobility. He smiled the predator's smile again.

"To be sure, that is what the ignorant believe." He said, quietly. "it is, however, a rumour put about by frothing madmen, jealous of their own position and so concerned with looking for heresy in others that they fail to smell the stench of blasphemy against the Emperor's infinite love in their own skins.. by the by, that was a rebuke, if you failed to recognise it. You may leave now. Emperor be with you.". Quaestorious made the cross thumbed eagle sign of blessing to the ecclesiast and smiled at him again. Almost frothing with impotent fury, the little man stared for a moment as though he would answer back; then turned on his heel and bounced angrily away.

"He doesn't like you" rsemarked Burdock. He thought for a moment, brow furrowed in concentration. "I don't like him neither, sah!"

"That makes two of us." Muttered Quaestorious.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Carcillius Boradan Lussus was less of a problem than Quaestorious feared, and grasped the implication of the extra body almost immediately.

"It's a damned cheek!" he spluttered. "It's a blasted insult to you and me both! Emperor rot it, Inquisitor, you have my full support to find the perpetrator! Full support, what!" he frowned, thinking. "I'll tell you something though." He said. "I'd like to be able to say that there are millions of suspects in Tigris City. But it ain't so, dammit. The only people who knew when the execution would take place outside of the Space Marines and yourself was my own household. Thought it would be safer that way. Prevent demonstrations."

"Quite so. A reasonable precaution." Quaestorious agreed. "I appreciate your honesty in telling me this. Of course it could be that one of your household was lax in security and others found out through this; but I shall discover whether this may be the case when I question them all." He smiled grimly as the governor paled. "I shall be most civilised in my enquiries." He added. "Your household will, I fear, be inconvenienced, but it is not in my nature to use threats or violence as a means to gain information. It is a self defeating method used only by the inadequate."

Lussus looked relieved.

"One hears stories…" he murmured, half apologetically. Quaestorious waved aside the apology before it was fully formed.

"I shall need a list of all your household" he asked crisply. "If you can review them now it would make my job easier. Please try not to leave anyone out."

The Governor nodded, gulped, and nodded again. Despite the Inquisitor's assurances it was a nerve wracking process to be questioned by the inquisition. He began, carefully.

"There's my wife, of course…Morilla Plina Lussa….we're, well, we're estranged, maritally speaking" he cleared his throat "Though we stay on quite good terms, really…not very well suited, you know" he shot a look at Quaestorious to see if he was about to receive censure, but the Inquisitor merely nodded.

"Go on." He encouraged. The little he had seen of Morilla Plina Lussa led him to think that 'not suited' was probably a serious litotes. She appeared to him to be a delicate looking woman, with a sensitive, intelligent face, not the sort to enjoy the attentions of a soldier's soldier like Lussus.

Lussus continued, emboldened.

"That's why my household includes my mistress" he said. "Astalliana, her name is. She's a commoner, and she's much more lively than Morilla. She's a good girl, not particularly demanding, and she's already given me two daughters. Carcillia and Astilla. She's pregnant right now. You will be sure and not frighten her so she miscarries, won't you?" he added anxiously.

Quaestorious looked down his nose.

"I believe I already told you I am not one of these little people who needs to frighten others to boost his own fragile ego" he said coldly. It was not entirely true, of course. Quaestorious used the fear of the Inquisition to surprise the truth out of people, and also to depress the pretensions of those he found obnoxious. However, it was not something to be done as a matter of course. Lussus lost himself in a morass of half finished sentences of apology until Quaestorious cut him short.

"Please resume" he said, smothering his impatience. "Your wife and your mistress and her daughters you have mentioned. There is of course your son too."

Lussus sighed.

"I do not understand Loridas" he muttered. "I know he has always been like his mother, but he carries it too far. He's a disappointment, a dreamer and a fop. It wouldn't matter as much if he could balance it by being clever, like his mother, but… And it's a fine thing when a man can't expect to have grandchildren either!" he finished angrily. Quaestorious raised an eyebrow and the Governor scowled. "Well, you'll find out anyway. Especially as he has introduced that …that CREATURE into my household. The boy prefers the company of men to women. Refuses to contemplate marriage even to perpetuate the name. What can a man do?" he made a helpless gesture with his hands, curiously at odds with the normally powerful appearance he projected. Quaestorious nodded. Homosexuality was considered aberrant by many as failing in the duty to provide future generations for the Imperium. Quaestorious was inclined towards tolerance provided all were happy, but the boy did owe some filial piety to his family. It was difficult to know whether he should be admired for his courage in brazening it out, or censured for his lack of tact and good sense. Quaestorious asked,

"And Loridas Carcillan Lussus' lover?"

Lussus elder snorted.

"An improbable description. Mitchellis Corlen Drusus loves only himself. He is a parasite, sir, a parasite!" Lussus elder had gone purple in the face in anger at the thought of his son's male lover. Quaestorious was unsure whether it was just at the man's personality, or whether at least part of the governor's anger was directed at the state of affairs that allowed the object of his hatred a part of his household. Plainly there were unhappy undercurrents here, and such usually led to trouble of some kind sooner or later. It could be that the body was in fact the man Drusus. Quaestorious asked,

"When did you last see Drusus, Governor?"

Lussus made an indelicate noise.

"The creature decided to turn my stomach by turning up for the midday repast. Pity it's not him you've got as your spare corpse. He'd be no loss and no mistake!"

"I see. Continue with the rest of your household if you please." Quaestorious dismissed the theory. There might have been time for someone to kill Drusus after the noon meal but not to deep freeze him as well. Lussus pulled himself together with an effort and went on.

"There are two other members of my household. Both are by nature subordinates, but generally eat with the family and live with us. The first is my secretary, Aitas Fornas Lussus. He's the son of my cousin, and I would by the Emperor that he were mine instead of Loridas. He's been with the family since he was in his teens, a staunch supporter and an excellent secretary. If I could I'd leave everything to him." He paused while Quaestorious digested the can of worms available with the possible rivalries and jealousies between cousins; then added "I suppose you don't really count the family ecclesiast, father Torquillan?"

"I include everyone." Quaestorious' voice was chilly. "Besides, I have met father Torquillan. I was not impressed. Moreover it WAS his idea to retain the heretics here."

Lussus looked uncomfortable.

"I say – there's nothing wrong with Torquillan. He's a bit, well, inclined to rant a bit now and then, but he's – well, he's an ecclesiast!" he finished lamely. Quaestorious' face was closed and the governor sweated profusely, wondering suddenly whether he had said something he should not have. But Quaestorious nodded briefly.

"You have given me a good word picture of your household." He said. "It will provide me with a starting point for my enquiries. It will help, too, when the identity of the deceased has been confirmed by the good graces of the Blood Angel Librarian Ancalon." Of course, reflected Quaestorious, the word pictures would be biased. Lussus senior's point of view would be entirely different to that of any of the others. But it gave a starting point as to the relationships within the family. Governor Lussus meanwhile smiled in grateful relief that the interview was for the time being over, indicated by the Inquisitor rising from his chair. He held the door for Quaestorious, begging him to make himself free with his family apartments. Quaestorious smiled acknowledgement. He fully intended to do so!

oOoOo

The marine who came to collect the cleaned skull just after Matins next morning was accompanied by a tiny figure in a long dark cloak. The dark hood did not quite conceal the bright exuberance of Kiliana's red curls nor the brightness of her dark eyes, questioning, scared and excited all at the same time. Quaestorious bestowed no more than a nod upon her as he handed over the skull, then left her to follow him as he swept off to the room he occupied. Kiliana followed obediently but as soon as the door was in, she burst out,

"Leo, no one is telling me anything. What's happened? Can I be of help to you? Did something go wrong?"

Quaestorious smiled at her as he lowered his long body into a chair. Kiliana plumped herself down at his feet, one elbow on its seat to support her chin as she looked up at him.

"All went as planned." He reassured her. "Right up to the time someone decided to hide a previously killed body in with the executed men. I have to find out who he was, who killed him and why. "

"It must have been someone who knew the schedule." The girl volunteered. Quaestorious nodded, pleased at her quickness.

"It has to have been one of the Governor's household – or one connected with it." He told her. "I have not ruled out the servants but I shall not question them beyond confirmation of their employers' words as yet since it is improbable that someone of the serving classes would have the sheer gall to pull a trick like this."

Killie frowned.

"Unless it was done in panic and the consequences not thought through." She suggested.

"The body had been frozen and stored somewhere."

"But suppose it had been frozen by someone not knowing what else to do? The domestic staff would have access to huge freezers on a place like this, and I bet it's so old there are forgotten corners to them. The chance to hide one body amongst many might have seemed a heaven sent opportunity, if that's not a blasphemy." Quaestorious considered deeply. The girl's comments had some merit; having grown up amongst ancillary staff, she would understand the mindset better than he. Could it be that simple? It still must be investigated, but if so less hard a line need be taken over the blasphemous aspect of the case. He ran an absent hand across Kiliana's hair in a vain attempt to smooth out the tousled locks, tutting gently as he did so.

"I will bear your thoughts in mind, child." He told her. "You might well have struck upon the correct solution. But… I have one of those feelings…."

Kiliana put her head on one side and regarded him solemnly.

"Is it to do with your psyker powers?" she asked curiously. He shrugged.

"In a way. I like to think of it as a hint from the Divine Emperor. My work is relatively low in importance – I'm no chaos seeker – and my gifts are concomitantly small. Yet I do the Emperor's work to the best of my ability and it pleases Him to make it easier for me with such feelings."

Kiliana nodded. Quaestorious' teaching had made the Emperor live for her and filled her life with an anchor and certainty she had never had before. Privately she was certain that the Emperor must be very like Quaestorious – or Leo, as she thought of him, preferring his childhood name to his chosen working name. She met his regard with the trust and hero worship that suffused her whenever she was with him.

"Are we going to pray?" she asked. Quaestorious nodded, unwinding himself from the chair and crossing to his suitcase in one fluid movement. Tenderly he unpacked his travelling altar with its beautiful iconic painting of the Emperor in the central panel. The charring round one edge where those barbarian ignoramuses had tried to burn it as being only the work of a dead buck private did not mar its beauty or spoil the serene, sad smile of the Emperor as he gazed forth in vivid illusion from his Golden Throne. Quaestorious drank in the painting's beauty and drew strength from it as always.

"I am sorry, My Emperor, not to have unpacked you before." He murmured. "I knew I would require Your strength when this was over, but it seems that things will be a little ….prolonged."

He set the altar up carefully and lit votive candles and knelt before it, Killie at his side.

"Blessed Emperor" he prayed "Help us and support us in our mission to uncover this murder of this faceless young man. Be with Ancalon as he feels his way in creating us an identity to aid us in our quest. May Your justice be done. In Your name."

"In your name." Killie's soft voice echoed his. Quaestorious rose.

"And so to work." He said. "let me tell you with whom we are dealing in this unhappy family…."

oOoOo

Quaestorious decided that although it might be wise to delay serious investigations until the identity of the corpse was known, there was some merit in trying to find out where everybody had been during the relevant period.

"There was a time of about two hours" he told Kiliana and Burdock "Between the executions and the time I viewed them. It is common to delay briefly thus in order that any manifestations of chaos that might be present will have become visible in an attempt to leave a dead host, or re-animate it. Whether this is generally known, I doubt. It may not even be known that an Inquisitor checks the bodies of the executed. Certainly I put the duty off for as long as possible. Therefore we are more likely to be dealing with the earlier part of the period than the later. The execution took place at Hora Meridianus. The custom here is to eat about an hour before this because of their early rising habits. Therefore one would expect the Governor's household to be about post prandial business of some kind. We need to find out what that is and where it took them. Burdock!"

"Yessah!"

"Chat to the guards and find out who they saw where."

Burdock saluted punctiliously after a surreptitious glance down at his tattoo.

"I'll get right onto it sah!" he said, pleased to be trusted with a task. Quaestorious was unsure how effective Burdock's queries might be, but they should at least start the guards thinking in case there were questions he wanted to ask them later. He looked down at Killie.

"I thought we would gather them all together after Compline" he told her "And see who claims to have been where. When we move to more specific questions, I would like you to listen and take not of how I do things. If there is a question you feel would be valid, ask it. It may be that you think of something I have not – especially with the women. Later I may ask you to speak with them alone; but for now I think you need to learn."

Kiliana nodded.

"Just one thing." She said.

"What is that, child?"

"I know you get pompous when you're concerned, but please don't do pompous to me. It makes you feel….distant, and that scares me on a strange planet so far from anywhere."

Quaestorious looked down at his apprentice with a mixture of exasperation and affection.

"My dear young Kiliana" he said "If I am er, pompous, you should be used to my personality by now."

She snorted.

"Then why do you forget to be pedantic and picky when you're relaxed?" she asked. "Don't try it on me, Leo. I've seen the real you, the man inside the flesh machine you pretend to be. I've seen you throw up when that bitch poisoned you."

"You are going too far. You do not need to remind me of that regrettable incident." Quaestorious tried to keep his voice cold and distant. "You are my apprentice. You should show more decorum."

Kiliana made an indelicate noise, then stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

"Nuts." She said. "C'mon, or we'll miss Compline."

Quaestorious tutted to himself. The girl was too …..well. she was too everything, he finished lamely to himself. She meant no harm, but….

The Inquisitor sighed and tried very hard not to brood upon his apprentices shortcomings, nor yet upon her manifold charms.


	4. Chapter 4

4

After the service was over – rather an unimaginative rant from Father Torquilan – the Inquisitor ordered that all the adults assemble in a reception room. They sat, looking scared, defiant, expectant, in varying mixtures according to their disparate natures. Quaestorious cleared his throat.

"As you know, I am here to get to the bottom of a murder that has in its concealment overtones of blasphemy." He began. There were some gasps; all looked shocked. He went on, "I have no way of knowing when the murder itself was committed since the body was kept in a deep freeze " – was one face surprised? All were still scared, it was hard to say – "but I can say categorically that the murderer concealed his – or her – victim between the end of the executions, some quarter after the Hora Meridianis, and the Hora Secunda which was striking as I went into the Temple courtyard. Therefore, I shall ask each of you in turn to give an account of yourselves during that period. Governor, let us begin with you."

Lussus senior blinked..

"I – well, I witnessed the execution. I stood beside you" he looked at Quaestorious, who nodded. The governor continued, "Afterwards I went to my office. I was there until, oh about Hora Sextia I think. Aitas was in the outer office. He can confirm it."

Quaestorious looked over towards Aitas Fornas Lussus, the Governor's secretary. The young man nodded.

"That is so, Inquisitor. I was there the whole time too. The Governor did not even leave the office to use the lavatorium until after the time you specify."

Quaestorious nodded again. It was a good clear answer. Had either of them, though, he pondered considered the fact that there was a second way out of the Governor's office through which Lussus might have left, his secretary none the wiser? For that matter, if Lussus did not call Aitas Lussus into his office, the younger man himself might have risked slipping off, claiming himself to have gone to the lavatorium if taxed with his absence.

"Did you require that facility yourself during the afternoon?" asked Quaestorious. The young man shook his head.

"I had been right after the executions." He looked shamefaced. "I was….ill for a while.". he swallowed hard, obviously still not comfortable. The inquisitor tapped his finger tips together thoughtfully. He could have faked it; or could equally well have been nauseated by a more personal contact with death. He asked,

"Did anyone else come into the outer office?"

Aitas nodded.

"Father Torquilan. He came in with a message for the Governor just before the hora secunda."

"Yes, you were panting". Father Torquilan spoke up. "I wondered about it at the time, what strenuous exercise you'd been taking, But I didn't like to ask."

Aitas went red to the ears.

"You are mistaken, Father." He said coldly.

"Why were you panting?" asked Kiliana, interested. Aitas glared at her, and turned his shoulder to her.

"Answer my apprentice's question if you please." Quaestorious' voice was soft, but Aitas could hear the steel in it. He flushed again.

"I was exercising." He muttered.

"Exercising?" Quaestorious sounded disbelieving. If anything, Aitas went a darker shade of red.

"And why not?" he queried. "The Governor likes people to be fit. When I have a few moments I do press ups. A healthy mind in a healthy body." He glowered defiantly at the Inquisitor while the governor nodded approval. There was a crack of laughter from the younger Lussus.

"Dear cousin!" he chuckled. "So keen to ingratiate yourself with my muscle bound parent. You even start to sound like him – a healthy mind in a healthy body forsooth! As though the two were inseparable! HAH!"

Quaestorious turned to the bitter young man, trying not to wince in distaste at his over decorated costume in plum and cerise. This was what he had been hoping for – unguarded outbursts that would give him insights into how the interrelationships worked.

"And where were you, Loridas Carcillan Lussus?" the Inquisitor asked softly. The young man faltered and stared at his feet.

"I – I was in my room." His voice was almost inaudible. He's lying, thought Quaestorious.

"Indeed? Doing what?" he asked.

"I don't remember." The youth said flatly.

"After so short a time? It seems" Quaestorious was sarcastic "that whatever the body may be like, it lacks a healthy mind if you cannot cast your mind back a few hours to yesterday afternoon."

It was the turn of young Loridas to flush. He muttered something unintelligible.

"Well doubtless you will tell me if your dubious memory returns." Quaestorious told him dryly; and was rewarded with a sickly grimace that was meant to be a smile of acquiescence. Quaestorious continued, "Now Father Torquilan, we have heard that you called in to the Governor's office near to Hora Secunda. But what were you doing before then?"

The little priest drew himself up to his full height, about level with the Inquisitor's breastbone. He looked like an offended chicken.

"Really, Inquisitor, I fail to see why you are asking ME a question like that as though I should be a suspect. My office as ecclesiast…"

"…is one that places you in a situation of great temptation to use it and abuse it. We all know how, er, FRAGILE the faith of some time serving ecclesiasts can be." Said Quaestorious smoothly. That, he thought, is a return to you for your smug assumptions about the Adeptes Astartes.

The little priest was almost beside himself.

"IF you think it necessary for me to tell you my actions" he began, meaning to sound lordly but succeeding only in sounding sulky, "Then I will tell you. After having prayed for the continued success against the damned forces of chaos and attending upon the condemned lest any wish to repent and save his soul, I went straight away to purify myself." He smiled fatuously.

"For nearly two hours?" Quaestorious was astonished.

"It was a serious business" Torquilan was put out by the Inquisitor's astonishment. Quaestorious shrugged.

"Very well. Your acolytes will doubtless back you up" he said. "now only one more of you gentlemen before I move on to the ladies. Mitchellis Corlen Drusus. I have the name correct?"

The decorative and languid young man, whose hand the younger Lussus was surreptitiously holding, nodded. The insolence was, thought Quaestorious, studied; but he said nothing, just continuing to look at Drusus until he muttered

"Yes, that is correct."

"Your movements?"

Drusus waved an elegant hand. The movement was one of intense economy, not an inch further than was required to convey nonchalant indifference.

"But my dear Inquisitor, I could say absolutely anything," his voice was beautifully modulated. "I was out, walking around, trying to get the loathsome business of the executions out of my head. But I doubt anyone who knows me saw me. I can't prove a thing." He made another gesture conveying polite regret. Quaestorious suffered a moment's temptation to see what would happen to those pretty hands in thumbscrews; and schooled himself to a mask like visage.

"Most unfortunate" he said dryly. "But of course how could you know in advance that an alibi might be required."

Drusus smiled at him. It was a cat-like smile of satisfaction.

"Precisely so" he murmured.

oOoOo

There was a momentary interruption as soft-footed servants brought refreshments. Quaestorious asked for a glass of water each for himself and his apprentice which he sipped absently while he turned his attention to the two women.

"Lady Morilla." He said. "Let us begin with yourself. Where were you at the time in question?"

The lady gasped, and gulped nervously at her drink.

"B-but Inquisitor – surely you do not think that a woman could have anything to do with a horrid murder?" her voice was so soft it almost seemed to be fading away altogether. Somehow it seemed appropriately linked to her frail looking body, hair so pale blonde as to be almost white and the soft grey draperies she wore. Apparent delicacy cut no ice with Quaestorious.

"Madam" he said. "The last murder I investigated was committed by a woman. I do not rule anyone out of my investigation until it is proved that they are unquestionably innocent. Besides" he added "However unlikely it may be that you had anything to do with it – and I confess that it seems very unlikely – you might be in the position to supply information vital to my enquiries. Information that you do not even know that you have, a small snippet of something seen or heard that could save an innocent from suspicion – or help to weave a rope of clues to hang a guilty person." He glared around at all the others. "This is the same for you all!" he snapped. "Anything at all could help me, even if it seems irrelevant!"

He noticed the governor's mistress frowning and chewing her lower lip with a delicate pearly tooth as he spoke and filed her reaction away for when he began to question her. Then he returned his attentions to Morilla Plina Lussa.

"So you see, Lady Morilla" he said more mildly "I require your testimony."

Lady Morilla sighed gently

"Very well, Inquisitor. But it is not like to be of any use" her voice seemed tired and Quaestorious wondered how it was that some women could manage to produce an effect that could be described as languorous, which was also highly sexually charged, whereas for this one it was more a state of inertness and apathy. It could not be easy being married to a brusque man like Lussus, but on the other hand he could see the man's point in taking a mistress. To be sure many men liked a restful woman; but this one wasn't even restful as such. Her voice made him want to yawn! He resisted the temptation by sipping his water and swallowing hard as she continued.

"I was in my own room all the afternoon. I was working on a piece of embroidery – a banner of the family arms for the reception room. It will hang over there" she indicated the great fireplace. "My maid was with me. She can confirm my words." She subsided back into her chair. Quaestorious nodded his head.

"Thank you Lady Morilla." He said. "I shall be pleased to check that with your maid" who would doubtless lie for her mistress in any case, he reflected. "Now, lady Astalliana."

She smiled at him, a quick warm smile.

"Not 'lady', Inquisitor. Just Astelliana. Lady Morilla and I deal tolerably together because I have no desire to usurp her social position. Isn't that so, dear?" she turned to Morilla who acknowledged the statement with a tired nod. Quaestorious sensed a degree of ambivalence in the Lady Morilla's attitude towards Astalliana; but no real hostility. The Governor's mistress was evidently wise enough not to get greedy. The young woman continued, "I'm afraid I am in the same situation as Mitchellis" she glanced across at the young man and Quaestorious was interested to see a brief touch of fear and loathing in the glance. "I was out, with my children. In fact I took them out for a walk before the Hora Meridianis because I wanted them well away from the place during the executions. I didn't want them to witness any unpleasantnesses."

Quaestorious nodded.

"I would like to speak to the little girls tomorrow." He said. Astalliana nodded, then bit her lip.

"Carcillia has something she should tell you." She said. "I did not heed it at the time, but in light of what has happened, it might be relevant….only it might just be a child's vivid imagination. You won't be angry if that's all it is, will you?" her eyes appealed to him, a simple mother's appeal, no use of her sexual charms at all. Quaestorious smiled.

"It would be unforgivable to be angry at a child who is, after all, using games and role play to learn to interact as a member of the adult world. Besides, children rarely make up anything from scratch. There is usually a basis for their game. But I notice you do not tell me what it is that you think is significant."

Astalliana shook her head.

"I would rather she told you, Inquisitor. Then you can judge what is important, rather than taking my version as I understood it. I would not wish to say anything false from a half remembered conversation I only half believed in."

A shrewd woman, reflected Quaestorious. Potentially therefore dangerous, though she seemed contented enough, and the contented rarely killed. She was one whom the adjective languorous probably would suit when it pleased her. Yet also she appeared to be reasonably fit, which presumably pleased her lover. It also meant she might be strong enough to stab a man. Which would make her a consummate actress. It was not unknown. He cleared his throat.

"Very well, that will be all for now. I will need to speak to servants to check your whereabouts – those that can be checked – and when I have a face to put to our body perhaps it will be possible to move forward. Thank you for your co-operation; and please inform your staff that they have nothing to fear. I am not interested in any minor transgressions on the part of anybody. Only in the solving of the Great Theft of the Emperor's gift of Life." He rose, signifying that the interview was at an end, watching them file out. Some were relieved, thinking it all at an end so far as they were concerned; others were frightened of something indefinable. Astalliana was one such; and the look she had shot him showed that she was aware that it was only just beginning. Kiliana yawned surreptitiously behind Quaestorious' back and he smiled indulgently at her.

"Take yourself to bed, child." He said. "It will be another day tomorrow, Emperor willing."

She nodded sleepily, and departed.


	5. Chapter 5

5

Burdock reported to Quaestorious the next morning, grinning happily.

"Ah, Burdock, may I infer from your expression that your enquiries amongst the guard uncovered something useful?" Quaestorious was surprised, but gratified as Burdock beamed an even broader grin.

"Yes, me lud, I done got plenty!" he told the inquisitor. "Dey's real nice guys, very friendly, but dey did get kinda nervous 'bout telling fings wot de inquisitor – you, I mean, me lud – would hear. But I telled 'em you woudn't hold nuttn' agin 'em." He frowned. "I did do right did I sah?" he queried. Quaestorious nodded.

"I'm not interested in minor transgressions or the occasional peccadillo of the soldiery." He said, translating for Burdock's benefit as the big man's brow furrowed, "I don't really care if they broke a few rules." Burdock's brow cleared.

"See, one of dem, he said he woudn' go into detail 'cos it might get someone he respec's into trouble, but like he told the Guvnor as how he'd sin him when he knew he weren't there." He beamed again. Quaestorious swallowed hard.

"Did he know where the, er, absent person was?" he asked.

"Oh yes, me lud." Burdock told him cheerfully. "He'd tooken off into town 'cos he di'n't like them execooshuns to a place where you get rat-arsed if you is posh."

Quaestorious digested this. Presumably some kind if drug emporium. He might –he sighed – have to visit all of them to extract the information that could alibi one of his suspects. None of them had come forward to declare their whereabouts as being in such a place; but then it would scarcely be the kind of establishment anyone would wish to admit being in, at least not with the Governor there listening. There were four people who could possibly be the one meant; the two women, young Lussus or his bon ami Drusus. Burdock had said 'him' but that might have been the giant ogryn's interpretation only. It seemed unlikely that Astalliana would risk one of her children giving the game away if they were not out walking; so it was unlikely to be her. Lady Morilla claimed to be sewing in her room; but if her predilections ran to exotic pleasures, doubtless a faithful maid would cover her for that with a lie as readily as to cover a murderous absence. On the whole, however, the two young men seemed the more likely to be involved in narcotic substances in an establishment catering to such tastes. Noble women tended, Quaestorious knew, to prefer to partake of those things that numbed the mind in their own homes, privately. The two young men were unaccounted for; Drusus with the triumphant lack of alibi, and Loridas Lussus lying about being in his room. It would be embarrassing for either of them to have admitted such an excursion; but Quaestorious was inclined to consider that the young Lussus had most to lose. His father already considered him a weakling, and this would compound that opinion, possibly driving him to disinherit the boy altogether. Yes, determined the Inquisitor, I shall tax Loridas Carcillan Lussus with this in private. Then at least – he sighed again – I might know at which establishment to check his alibi. He smiled warmly at Burdock.

"You have done well, Burdock." He told him. Burdock had been looking a little worried at the Inquisitor's frowning reverie, but now his face lit up. Praise from Quaestorious was, he felt, praise worth having! He said,

"Dere's more, me lud."

"MORE? Why, Burdock, I shall need to be careful, or you'll be taking over as Inquisitor with me as your assistant!" Quaestorious was careful to smile as he said this so that Burdock knew it was a joke. The Ogryn sometimes got a little worried when he was teased if it was not strongly signalled. Burdock grinned at his Lord's sally.

"Jus' you wait 'til I tell you dis one, sah. De guards, dey fink dey know who de corpus might be." He drew himself up to his full, not inconsiderable, height, chest thrust out in his pride in so momentous a piece of information. Quaestorious was impressed, and said so. He added,

"So who do they think the body might be – and why?"

"Dere was dis guy, um, Gordius Clemens. He ain't got a middle name like dem posh folk. Is dat becos he ain't posh?" he asked, sidetracked. Quaestorious decided to answer the question to save it preying on Burdock's mind and taking up valuable and limited thinking space.

"It is the custom here amongst the Patricians – the er posh people – to add as a middle name what is called a patronymic – a variant on their father's name – to show who their father is. It is an affectation based on a very ancient concept lost in the mists of antiquity. So why do they think our corpse is this Gordius Clemens?" he prompted Burdock back to the issue in hand. Burdock scratched his head to aid his memory and Quaestorious stepped surreptitiously back to avoid being showered with dandruff. The abhuman said,

"Now, it runs somefink like dis. Dis Clemens bloke was unhappy about somefink. Then he disappears, see? So dey fink he's done a runner. Only if he ain't done a runner it's because he was here all along bein' a stiff."

Quaestorious unravelled Burdock's tortuous logic and nodded to himself. It might make sense. It did at ,least give a starting point; he could show the reconstructed head to the guard for confirmation or denial.

"You are one in a million, Burdock." He congratulated his assistant. "Now, there's only one thing more I need before we get going for today…"

"I put de kettle on right before I come to tell you fings." Grinned Burdock. "Coffee on it's way, sah!" he saluted with both hands to show that he considered it a special occasion and exited smartly to sort out coffee.

oOoOo

Kiliana turned up late, but forestalled a blistering censure from the Inquisitor by grinning cheerily at him and holding up a paper bag.

"If we're going to talk to the little girls" she explained "I thought some sweeties might er, sweeten the talk."

"Are you sure that doesn't come under bribery to give testimony?" asked Quaestorious gravely. She looked up in consternation, then saw the corner of his mouth twitching.

"Oh – _LEO!_" She tossed her tawny mane and grinned back at him. Burdock said, hopefully,

"If dey don't like dem, I like sweeties."

Kiliana laughed and offered him the bag.

"Only a couple, mind." She admonished him. "I need some left to bribe and corrupt the young with the aid of my Lord Inquisitor."

"You're a brat." Quaestorious told her firmly as she peeped up at him from under her lashes. "Pert and unmanageable.". He added seriously "and you won't get away with it at the Academy, Kiliana my child, so try – hard as it may seem – to get into the habit of cultivating some decorum."

"Of course, My Lord Inquisitor." She murmured demurely, then spoiled the effect by glancing up again through those preposterously thick long lashes of hers. Quaestorious sighed and gave up.

oOoOo

The two little girls were big eyed and nervous when Quaestorious and Kiliana arrived in their apartment. Quaestorious said,

"Good morning" then proceeded to sit down on the floor and busied himself unwrapping a flat packet he had brought with him. He said nothing while he was thus engaged; and curiosity won over fear as the children edged closer to peer. The packet was in due course revealed to be a painting; the Inquisitor's precious icon of the Emperor. He showed it to the little girls.

"What do you think, mmm?" he asked. The little one put her finger in her mouth and stared. The older asked,

"Why is it burned on one side?"

"A good question." Quaestorious approved. "Some foolish people did not think that it should be kept when the man who painted it died. He was not rich or famous, you see – just an ordinary man who had an extraordinary talent."

The older girl, Carcillia, considered.

"It's pretty" she opined. "I bet you're glad you stopped them burning it."

"I am certainly glad it was not – I did not rescue it, but I am grateful to the one who did." He agreed. "Do you know who it is in the painting?" he looked at the younger too. She took her finger out of her mouth.

"Ve Emp'ror." She whispered. Carcillia scowled. Little sisters weren't supposed to get to answers first.

"Is it?" she asked. Quaestorious nodded.

"Yes, this is one of the best paintings I have ever seen of the blessed Emperor." He told her.

"Do you know Him?" the question was direct, and Quaestorious heard Astalliana gasp at what she thought might be unforgivable temerity. Quaestorious merely smiled.

"In a manner of speaking." He said. "I am a psyker, and that gift is given by the Emperor. I feel his presence when I use psychic powers – like you know, I'm sure, if mummy comes into the room when you're supposed to be asleep, even when you have your eyes tight shut. Am I right?" he smiled and was rewarded by a conspiratorial giggle. Kiliana, listening felt tears start to her eyes at such a graphic way of describing the all-encompassing presence of the Immortal Emperor to small children. She was young enough herself to remember being aware of that loving feeling when her mother looked in on her last thing at night, and remembering brought an ache to her heart at the same time that it brought comfort. Quaestorious must have felt an echo of her feelings, for he looked up at her and smiled, the rare warm smile he reserved for rare moments of deep peace contemplation of the Emperor brought him. Kiliana dropped down on the floor beside him and the children to listen as he continued.

"What do you think the Emperor is like?" he asked. "Look at His face – Do you think He is kind?"

Two vigorous nods answered him. He smiled.

"Do you think He would want you to help me find a Bad Man who has killed someone?" he asked. The little one nodded again. Her sister frowned.

"Didn't you kill people?" she asked. Her mother gasped again at the devastating honesty. Quaestorious looked sad.

" There are sometimes people who are too nasty for them to be allowed to live, because of all the people they will hurt or kill themselves." He explained. "The people who were executed – that's what you call it when bad people have to be killed – had caused all the scary things that had happened here before the Space Marines came and rescued everyone."

Carcillia regarded him with all the solemnity that a seven year old can muster. Her sister leaned on him.

"There were VEWWY scawy fings." She agreed. "Papa talked about sending us away, but ven ve Mawines awwived." She looked at him seriously. "Vey are VEWWY big." She told him. Quaestorious smiled.

"Aren't they just." He murmured. Carcillia put in,

"What do you want us to do to help catch the Bad Man?" she had not lost the thread of the conversation even through her own queries about killing people. Quaestorious ruffled her hair, and nodded to Kiliana. The girl correctly interpreted this as an instruction to produce the sweeties; and Quaestorious asked his questions as she passed the bag around, selecting for himself a peculiar looking yellow boiled sweet that he viewed with some misgivings before inserting it in his mouth. He crunched and swallowed hastily to rid himself of the cloying sweetness.

"Now, Carcillia, I think you found something that might help me – but you will have to remember something that is quite a long time ago." He began. "Your mother tells me that you found something that she thought was a game at first. Can you remember what that might be?"

The little girl frowned in concentration; then her eyes widened as she remembered something that plainly frightened her.

"Was – was that the dead man in the cupboard?" she whispered, pupils wide with terror. Quaestorious put an arm around her.

"That sounds as though it might be a great big clue!" he said, glancing across to Astalliana for confirmation. The governor's mistress nodded. He added, "Look at the Emperor, Carcillia. He won't let any dead men in cupboards, hurt you, will He? You can pray to him every night and tell him all the things that happen – good or bad – and He will give you strength to help with the bad things, and rejoice with you over the good things. Now feel His strength to help you tell me about the dead man in the cupboard."

Carcillia buried her face against Quaestorious, and he held her comfortingly until she stopped trembling and managed her story, lifting a tear stained face to his for reassurance. He smiled gently, encouragingly.

"We were playing hide-and-seek" she began falteringly. "I knew a splendid alcove to hide in. behind a curtain. You have to go under a table and I didn't think Astillia would think of it. Only that time there was a big cupboard in there, and I opened it and there was a man in there, and I runned away. And when mummy came to see, the cupboard wasn't there any more and she said I was telling stories to frighten Astillia" she finished resentfully, all of it coming in a rush when she had started. Quaestorious patted her shoulder encouragingly.

"Well done!" he said. "You are a clever girl, Carcillia. Do you think you can show me where this cupboard was?"

There was a moment's hesitation, then a wordless nod. Carcillia scrambled determinedly to her feet and took Quaestorious by the hand. Astilla possessed herself of the other, not to be outdone, and they progressed to Carcillia's directions. Quaestorious reflected, not for the first time, on the disadvantages of being tall. Walking in a semi bent position to accommodate holding the hands of two small children was one of them.


	6. Chapter 6

6

The table that stood across the alcove was small, light and easy to move. The heavy drape hid a surprisingly deep alcove with relatively recent scrape marks on the floor as well as adult and child sized footmarks in the dust. Apparently nobody bothered to clean in such an inaccessible place. The adult prints were scuffed, the owner had been half sliding his feet whilst moving something heavy; but they would bear recording. Quaestorious pointed them out to Carcillia.

"There, you see, because you were brave and showed me the place, I shall be able to draw these footprints. Then when I have some idea who might have done the killing, I can check to see if his boots match these ones!"

Carcillia looked on with awe, and gingerly fitted her own feet into the footmarks where he showed her her own feet went.

"I tan make footprints too!" cried Astillia, and jumped, both feet, into the only near perfect footprint. Quaestorious stared in horror; Astalliana gasped; and Carcillia gave her sister a hearty slap across the face.

"You are so STUPID!" she cried. "Now the inquisitor can't catch the bad man!" and burst into tears. Quaestorious gathered himself, grimly reminding himself that the best laid plans of mice and men end up filed somewhere in the warp, and bobbed down to reach out to the lustily howling Astillia and the frightened Carcillia.

"Quiet!" he commanded; and both hiccupped to silence at the steel in his voice. He went on, "It was silly, Astillia, but you are, I suppose too young to realise how important this is. Now, Carcillia, don't be frightened, because the footprint was only a part of the clue. And it has already told me some things about the killer – like I can guess how tall he was from the size. Do not blame your sister overmuch. Now, hug her and say you are sorry you were cross."

Carcillia looked mutinous; but she did as she was told, and Quaestorious handed them over to their mother. He watched them retreat with a quizzical look. Said Kiliana,

"Who'd have kids!"

He sighed, thoughtfully, and did not answer her; then returned to a minute examination of the alcove.

The drag marks of moving a heavy box like a freezer were apparent; and by the look of the marks it had been brought on an anti-gravitic carrier and manhandled by someone with more desperation than strength once deposited. The alcove was too small to take a big anti-grav kitchen floater, and anything smaller than a big one would be unlikely to manage a freezer unit. The big kitchen floaters were designed to take a freezer unit or refrigeration casket to standard design but the propulsion unit would extend past the alcove's sides. The amount of effort might denote a man not used to physical exertion – or even possibly a woman. The characteristic scuffs showed how the freezer had been 'walked' by rocking it one corner at a time. That would tend to rule out a strong and fit man like Carcillius Boradan Lussus; unless his age had robbed his true strength and his fitness regimen a futile attempt to fight the inexorable march of age. Somehow Quaestorius did not think that Lussus was actually suffering the weakness of eld; he was in his middle years to be sure, but no indication that any unusual condition might have struck him down early and robbed him of a strength gained through a habit of military level fitness regimes.

"Leo" said Kiliana "I don't really see how there could have been anyone brought in. Weren't they - the bodies – always under the eye of someone?"

Quaestorius gave a grim smile.

"Oh yes my child; they were indeed; under the eye of a lot of somebodies. The local Guard were left to organise the removal of the bodies from the place of execution to the antechamber of a city incinerator where the autopsy facilities are so that the area could be cleaned up. There were several squads involved I believe. A lot of people coming and going. Easy for someone wearing uniform to slide in to the antechamber with an extra body. And no marines overseeing it to pick up on anything like that because Tigris is currently undergoing a fervent religious revival that doubts the faith of Marines."

"But Marines are more devout than anyone except you!" cried Kiliana, indignantly.

"I know, my child; but when have human beings ever been noted for being rational once they get an idea in their heads?" sighed Quaestorius. "The Governor feared that the masses, brainwashed by the unwashed – er, I mean given false beliefs – might demonstrate against marines if they were too much in evidence."

Kiliana giggled.

"I think you meant what you said with the first comment" she said.

He permitted himself a thin, austere, smile.

"Perhaps I did" he admitted.

"But I still have a question" said Kiliana. "If the guardsmen were carrying the bodies, or overseeing servitors doing so, why wouldn't they notice that someone was there who didn't ought to be?"

"Your grammar is excruciating" said Quaestorius. "For one thing we cannot rule out that the murderer – or the person who moved the body who is probably but not necessarily the same – might not have been supposed to be there. Someone military or involved in administration, or even an ecclesiast might be openly supervising. With some extra-curricular activity on the side. Even if this was not the case, this has been a shocking, horrific occurrence. The execution was...horrible. I always hate such. The stench of fear and blood in the courtyard where the execution took place was considerable. The chaos incursion had already been frightening. It is possible that some of the heretics were known if only slightly to some of the guardsmen, and if not, they seemed quite ordinary men. As indeed they were" he glanced at her. "Chaos can infect ordinary men and women who get wrong ideas. Heresy can come in the guise of faith – which is how some can mistrust Marines. The guardsmen are ordinary men too. They have seen a frightening thing happen on their planet culminating in this graphic execution."

"But would that make them stop thinking? Surely not?" interrupted Kiliana.

"You should not interrupt" chided Quaestorius. "No, they do not stop thinking – but they do not look at each other. There is a shame in being involved in something like this, and moreover as well as the embarrassment of that, a man will not meet the eyes of another in such situation for fear of seeing the same expression he knows he wears in his own eyes, that will lead him to lose all semblance of self control, and perhaps lose control of the bodily functions he has a tight grip on. It is called fear, Kiliana, and fear can make all men into strangers for its isolation of the senses."

"I see, I think" said Kiliana. "What do we do next?"

"I am going to write out a chart on which I shall write down the names of anyone who had the knowledge – the Governor's household – and where they say they were in one column, any corroborative evidence in the next, any discrepancies in the next and leave a final column for any other remarks" said Quaestorius. "Often I do this within my own head, but it will do no harm to have it written out formally – and it will help you to put evidence logically for your training. In fact, I shall leave you doing that while I speak to Loridas Carcillan Lusus."

"That's the son with the bad dress sense, isn't it?" said Kiliana. "I don't think much of his colour choices."

"I think he is showing his rebellion against his father," said Quaestorius, thoughtfully, "something that is quite common – the more so when they are of two such different types."

"And you don't want me to help you talk to him" said Kiliana mournfully and slightly resentfully. "Is it because he prefers men? I know about it you know; you can't grow up amongst soldiers without figuring some things out."

"It has nothing to do with protecting you, as it happens" said Quaestorius. "It was more the thought that I did not think that young Lussus would talk in front of you."

"He thinks I'm a boy" said Kiliana cynically "He was eyeing me up."

Quaestorius froze momentarily.

"He does? He was?" he said, taken aback.

Kiliana gave a gurgle of mirth.

"I've shocked you!" she said. "I think he's a bit of a flirt; that other one, Mitchellis whatsit didn't like it above half, he was scowling at me. Should I try to pump young Lussus on my own? And why can't these people have sensible names?"

"I was taken aback, not shocked" said Quaestorius, firmly. "You are a pert chit! I missed that entirely – it might be useful to get young Lussus talking, but I don't want to send you on your own, we don't know if he might go too far and then turn ugly if he discovered that you are female. And I don't want you subjected to insult from Mitchellis Corlen Drusus either. Dear me, you are right about the names; very tedious to try to follow the naming customs here, though useful that one can tell the social class by the number of names. I'm going to call old Lussus by his family name from now on and call his son Loridas. Will that make it easier for you?"

"Much" said Kiliana skipping happily on the spot. "I would risk talking to him you know; or perhaps you could summon him to your room, and I can be here and tell him you've been called away and will be in presently."

Quaestorius considered.

"There's some merit in that" he said. "And Burdock within earshot too."

"That would make me feel a lot happier" admitted Kiliana.

They returned to the Inquisitor's room; and found Burdock there sorting out coffee.

"Burdock, you are truly a treasure" said Quaestorius. "I want you to find Loridas Carcillan Lusus and tell him that I want to see him in my room; escort him here and wait outside. Kiliana will be talking to him first and I want you within call in case she needs you."

Burdock frowned in deep thought and mined for dandruff on his head in the depth of an apparent puzzlement.

"But sah!" he burst out "Dat young man don't like girls! He ain't goin' to cause her no trouble like dat is he?"

Quaestorius smiled grimly.

"Normally, no, Burdock. But Kili has noticed that he had not yet realised that she is a girl and I plan to use her willingness to exploit that to see if we can get more out of him. I – I have mixed feelings about this, but if you are nearby I shall worry much less. "

Burdock nodded sagely, dislodging such dandruff as had not already fallen. Quaestorius wondered irritably if this planet had such things as medicated pilatory cleansers.

"I'll take care of her, me lud" Burdock said. Quaestorius knew he would, and smiled, pleased. Now to make himself temporarily scarce, but ready to listen outside the door for a good strategic moment to come in.

oOoOo

Loridas Carcillan Lussus knocked and entered the room the Inquisitor was occupying. The pretty youth who was some kind of assistant or servant to the Inquisitor was there, kneeling on the floor writing on some kind of chart, his pert buttocks holding the shapeless robe taut. Young Lussus was appreciative.

Kiliana looked up and got to her feet.

"You'll be Loridas with all the names" she said. "The Inquisitor conveys his apologies, he was called away, he hopes not to be more than a few minutes."

Loridas grinned.

"Well I'm sure we can get to know each other a bit better in the meantime" he said. "How come you fetched up working for that sour faced creature, a bright and merry young thing like you?"

Kiliana scowled.

"Inquisitor Quaestorius is not sour; he is a very kind man, except to murderers" she said.

Loridas whistled.

"Oh, you warm his bed do you?" he said.

Kiliana slapped him, hard.

"He is NOT a – whatever the long word is for men who sleep with children!" she said. "How DARE you accuse an Inquisitor of such crimes?"

He staggered back.

"I – I suppose I had not reflected your age" he said. "What – how old are you?"

Kiliana shrugged. She was angry with herself for having reacted so intemperately – she had to find a way back to being able to win the little creep's confidence.

"I'm not too sure" she said "But the Inquisitor says that until adolescents have feelings that they want to fulfil, they are too young. So there. That was why he rescued me so I would not be used. And if you are some kind of pervert, I won't help you clear your name either" she added, hoping that this would pique him into asking how she might help him.

He flushed a dull red.

"I – I apologise fully" he said. "So many people get things done by sexual favours, I – well I see it all the time. I did not mean to insult you or the Inquisitor; I was disappointed if you were… if your affections were engaged."

"My whole devotion is to the Emperor" said Kiliana sententiously, praying quickly to apologise to the Holy Emperor for the lie, in that actually some of her devotion was to the surrogate family she had in Leo and Burdock.

"Oh, er, quite" said Loridas. "How – er, how would you be able to clear my name?" he asked hopefully.

"By being truthful" said Kiliana. "Inquisitor Quaestorius is a reasonable and fair man but he knows that you are lying about where you were between the Meridianus and Hora Secunda. If I were you, I'd tell him everything, especially as you can do so privately here, without your mother overhearing."

"Why should it matter if my mother heard?" his voice was a little shrill.

Kiliana sighed.

"Because you buffoon, you were seen entering a place she might not want you to be visiting" she said.

Loridas passed out.


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks Guardsman Maggot!  
><em>

**7**

Quaestorius came in as Kiliana used a few choice oaths she had picked up from her mentor.

"Really my child! I shall have to be more careful in front of you if you will repeat all the things I should not say" he said, mildly.

"Well I was shocked" said Kiliana. "After all, how was I to know he'd pass out like that? I hadn't threatened him or anything."

"Well, maybe he fears upsetting his mother more than he fears the inquisition" said Quaestorius with some grim humour "Or maybe he had a guiltier secret than we realised. Help me get him onto the chair and fetch him a glass of water. He doesn't look so healthy; I'd say his circulation was poor and that's one reason he's not that good at the vigorous life his father would like him to lead. "

They manhandled the young man into the chair, and he groaned.

Kiliana filled a glass.

"Drink this" she said crisply "And then you can tell me and the Inquisitor what terrible crimes you have committed that make you pass out at the idea of being seen visiting what we had hitherto thought merely to be some parlour catering to decadent tastes in mental degeneration."

"Excellent turn of phrase" murmured Quaestorius.

Loridas groaned again.

"That won't do" said Quaestorius in a voice like a whip-lash. "You passed out; that is all. You were seen going into an establishment described as 'where posh people get rat-arsed' which I assumed was some kind of drug emporium. If you are so depraved as to be supplying the drugs, then you had better tell me quickly; I will find out in any case, one way or another."

Loridas gaped at him, losing what little colour he had regained for being sat in a chair.

"But – but I don't supply drugs!" he said "And – and it wasn't even a place that sells drugs, at least, not openly nor as its main stimulant!"

"Indeed? But you fainted. Why should you faint if you were not afraid of being found out?" said Quaestorius, icily.

"I was afraid of being found out – not just by my mother, but if she told Mitchellis!" cried Loridas. "It – it's a wine bar, but they have floor shows, dancers. Mitchellis doesn't like me going there, he's jealous, and – and when he said he didn't want to come away into town with me to have a few drinks to get steady after – after the unpleasantness, then I thought I would go to the Club Loquacitoinfernum and watch the boys dancing. Because I was cross with Mitchellis for not wanting to come with me" he added sulkily. "But – but I do love him and I don't want to really upset him!"

"Love is about trust" said Kiliana scornfully "And you acted in an untrustworthy way; and you were trying to flirt with me. I should think that Mitchellis would be even angrier if he thought you were flirting with a girl as well as watching dancers."

Loridas gaped.

"You're a GIRL?" he gasped, and passed out again.

"Kiliana, my dear" said Quaestorius "I know that an Inquisitor is supposed to keep a suspect off balance, but making him faint every few minutes is a little beyond the call of duty."

"But Leo, he is such a poor – you are teasing!" she added accusingly.

"Just a little" he smiled at her.

"I hate to say this, but I think he's telling the truth" said Kiliana.

"I'm inclined to agree" said Quaestorius. "However, Burdock shall take a picture of him to this, er, Club Loquacitoinfernum – what a name – and check. "

"Yes me Lud" said Burdock, saluting. "Right away, sah?"

Quaestorius considered.

"Yes" he decided "And come back as quickly as you can after getting the information to corroborate his story. That means find out if what he says is true" he added.

Burdock saluted again and hastened out of the door on heavy yet almost soundless feet, rather like some big predator, reflected Quaestorius.

Loridas came to and started sobbing.

"I swear, I never knew you were a girl!" he said. "I – I wouldn't have spoken to you like that if I had known, I would have been properly respectful to a female!"

"Personally I think it's nice for everyone to speak respectfully to everyone else" said Kiliana. "I wish you'd stop crying; it's rather horrid seeing grown ups cry."

This, reflected Quaestorius with grim humour, probably upset the young man even more than anything else – that he was lumped in with his father and the Inquisitor as 'a grown up'. Kiliana was rather young for her age in some ways – whatever her age actually was – but then she had been robbed of so much childhood she was using this time as his apprentice to be a child and to come to terms with who she was and what she was going to be when she came out of the armour of not being grown up.

"I don't mean anything when I flirt you know, it's just for a bit of fun" Loridas was trying to excuse himself "I mean, even if you have a fling with someone, it doesn't mean you don't love the person you're with; and I didn't have any flings anyway; Gordius turned me down" he added a little petulantly.

Quaestorius leaned forward.

"Gordius Clemens?" he said, sharply.

"Yes, that's his name…." the young man paled. "You know his name? he is in trouble? I – no I cannot believe he could be involved in any heresy!"

"And what makes you think I would consider him to be involved in heresy?" asked Quaestorius, silkily. Was this a preparation for the body being identified? Did this effete youth have hidden depths to blame obliquely by protesting the innocence of a man?

Loridas stared.

"Well the Inquisition investigates heresy doesn't it? He went away. I – if I have driven him to bring himself to the attention of the Inquisition because he did not like my advances I – I do not know what I will do!" he buried his face in his hands, then looked up. "Where was it that you met him? What was he accused of?"

"I had not said he was accused of anything" said Quaestorius dryly "Merely mentioned that I knew his name. It is my business to know names of anyone who might be connected with a murder investigation. Even as I know your name. It does not mean I have accused you either. Not yet, anyway" he added. Loridas managed not to faint this time. Being a possible suspect seemed to upset him less than an affront to his rather messy private life.

"I do not see how he could be connected with a murder investigation" said Loridas sulkily. "He was no longer attached to the household as a guard; he deserted some time ago, some weeks since. Mitchellis said he must have been straight and felt threatened by me flirting or he already had a lover and wanted to get away. He said it would serve me right for thinking unfaithful thoughts. I didn't think I had been too flirty" he added resentfully.

"You're awfully heavy handed about it actually" said Kiliana.

There was little Loridas could say to that, but he burned red.

"I – won't you tell me about Gordius?" he pleaded with Quaestorius.

The Inquisitor hesitated.

Before he could answer, there was a knock at the door and at a sign from Quaestorius, Kiliana opened it. A Space Marine stood there with a square box. Loridas tried to make himself very small.

"Oh hello Brother Goscuin" said Kiliana cheerfully, having got to know some of the Marines well enough to recognise their individual armour.

"The compliments of Librarian Ancalon to the Inquisitor and he hopes the Emperor has guided his hand" said the Marine.

"So fine a man as Ancalon must have the favour of the Emperor" said Quaestorius, taking the box. "Pray convey to him my deepest gratitude for his efforts. May you and all your brothers have a safe journey to your next destination."

"My thanks on behalf of us all, Inquisitor" said the gigantic warrior. "Emperor with you."

"And with you" Quaestorius signed the eagle benediction.

"Ancalon had a personal message" said the marine laconically. "He said get the bastard who wiped out the life of a man who had done no evil in his short life."

Being Ancalon he may even have put it in as many words, though it was more likely to have been the Marine's own interpretation. Marines were drawn from youths from all walks of life after all, and some were more nice in their choice or words than others.

"Tell him I will do" said Quaestorius. "I pray it may be the Emperor's will that we shall meet again."

The marine shrugged. Loridas quailed at what that did to the armour. Quaestorius hid his amusement. Most people quailed at Space Marines. He and his retinue had been truly privileged to have been treated almost like family by this chapter, and Kiliana at least had grown quite blasé; and considering her youth, it amused the marines to take no offence at her youthful and innocent acceptance of them as just more of the Emperor's children.

Brother Goscuin withdrew, and Quaestorius regarded the package. Should he undo it now and see Loridas' reaction? Kiliana too would be watching him narrowly.

The decision was deferred by the arrival of Burdock.

He saluted with the right hand, and then with both to dignify the occasion.

"Well dey remembers dis Lordy-arse Crassithingy Wotsit all right" said Burdock, making an heroic attempt to recall Loridas Carcillan Lussus and giving up half way through.

Loridas spluttered slightly and Kiliana had to smother a nasty outbreak of mirth with her hand.

"Loridas, Carcillan Lussus" said Quaestorius. "Call him Loridas. At least then we know which Lussus he is out of the three of them."

"Yes, sah, Lordy-arse" said Burdock nodding.

"If I thought he meant it as satire it would be funny enough to forgive" said Loridas dryly.

"You never know. He might" said Kiliana quietly. "Burdock's cleverer than he sometimes pretends I think."

Loridas looked at Burdock with renewed interest. Kiliana heaved a silent sigh of relief. If this complex young man decided to feel that he was being honoured with satire he might co-operate a bit more than if he took a huff over Burdock's occasional mangling of words and names.

"And what did they say?" asked Loridas. "Did they remember when I was in?"

"Me Lud?" Burdock glanced at Quaestorius, who nodded assent that he should go on. The giant ogryn went on, "Dey said he come in before the Meridianus and drank a lot, and he wuz pretty pale, kept glancing up at the place where de executions was, leastaways, dey didn't say DAT account o' how dey didn't know dat, but dey sorta indicated the direction and I knowed" he nodded to emphasise his knowledge. "And den dey said he watched the dancers, but like his mind weren't on it, and when he was too drunk to stand, dey took him out back, account of how dese posh places takes care o' their drunks 'stead o' callin' in de steel-noses" he added, using the military slang for military police, named for the breather masks they commonly wore as control gases were their usual weapon.

"Not that he'd be subject to military discipline" said Quaestorius. "Any idea what time that was?"

"Getting on for the Hora Tertia" said Burdock promptly.

"They do a pick-me-up in there as well which sobers you up so long as you take it half an hour after the last drink" said Loridas. "I'm sorry, I haven't behaved very well. I – I don't usually act like this. I really can't imagine how you manage your job, Inquisitor. I – I couldn't."

"When a man is man enough to admit what he can't do he is on the road to wisdom" said Quaestorius. "And if you think I take it with hearty platitudes about being the Emperor's will, I don't. I cannot think that it is the Emperor's WILL that seventeen poor stupid fools duped by chaos should have to be executed instead of being shown His love; but I believe He accepts that we poor fallible mortals have to choose the execution of the few to save the souls of the many. Because we are not wise enough to find another way. And yes, Loridas Carcillan Lussus, it sickens me every time. And I was glad to have the aid of a skilled psychologist to question them to check their heresy had not spread, because I despise and detest the use of torture."

"I – then I had nightmares about them being put to the question for nothing? I am glad – you are not like the ecclesiasts" said Loridas. "I suppose you think me a fool to have nightmare."

"Son, having nightmares in compassion for the sufferings of others does you nothing but credit" said Quaestorius.

"Actually, I think maybe I don't dislike you after all" said Kiliana "But you gotta stop coming on to people; you act like a whore and it's not nice."

Loridas blinked.

"I – I did not realise" he said. "I have been trying to show my father that I need not be ashamed of my feelings."

"No you need not" agreed Quaestorius "Though you might want to bear in mind that as his only son it might be dutiful to find a young lady who will agree to a marriage in name once you and she have managed to procreate. Perhaps a lady who prefers female lovers but who must marry to please her family – then you may each please yourselves. Consider it."

"Yes sir, I shall" said Loridas. "I had not thought – but I suppose it is not unreasonable – of course, why should there not be women who feel that way? You – you are not as I imagined an Inquisitor to be."

Quaestorius permitted himself a dry smile.

"Some consider me ridiculously liberal" he said. "But then, I believe in the Emperor's love, which transcends the vengeance of the Emperor's various arms. I am going to unwrap this package now; and I fear you might not like what is inside it."

"But – but you want me to look?" Loridas looked apprehensive. "What is it?"

"It is a representation of the murdered man, since his features had been… mutilated" said Quaestorus.

Loridas paled.

"You think it is Gordius" he said.

"If you can identify him we shall be grateful" said Quaestorius, opening the box and taking out the beautifully sculpted face of a handsome young man, a job so skilled that the cold clay laughed in sheer joy of living.

Loridas swayed.

"Oh no, not again" muttered Kiliana.

This time, however, Loridas did not faint. He pulled himself together and pointed deliberately at Quaestorius to emphasise his words.

"Inquisitor, I would echo the request of Librarian Ancalon. Find who took a life that never did anyone any wrong. This is indeed Gordius Clemens who was popular with all the men for his good humour and fund of good jokes and stories, all of them both witty and clean. I will not withhold any of my shortcomings or actions to see justice done. He – he did not deserve this."

Then he fainted.

Quaestorius tutted gently.

"Burdock, carry him back to his own chamber and see him into the care of whatever body servant he has" he said. "He is, I think, covered for the whole period. Too much is at stake, and too many chances to be caught in a lie for the proprietors of that establishment to lie for him even if there was the ploy of making us have to dig deep for the information."

"Yes me Lud" said Burdock, picking up the swooning Loridas with ease.

"So now we know who our victim is" said Kiliana.

"We do" said Quaestorius softly "And with the excellent skills of Ancalon, may that dumb clay mouth manage somehow to speak to us."


	8. Chapter 8

****_Thanks again, Guardsman Maggot, I am hoping to write more about Quaestorius and his team after this, I hope I might manage longer ones! I've got several plot ideas and story outlines.  
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**8**

"Am I wrong to think we have a probable major suspect here?" said Kiliana, tentatively, as soon as Loridas had been removed by Burdock.

"Certainly I am inclined to see a major suspect" said Quaestorius "But there are one or two matters that do still concern me."

"Will you run through them, Leo? It might help" said Kiliana, looking firmly at the chair for him to sit down, when she might then take up her accustomed place sitting at his feet.

Quaestorius gave in to the inevitable. Elucidating the minutiae he wanted to clear up would clear his mind; it would help. He sat, and Kiliana plumped herself down in satisfaction, leaning on him.

"I'll start with the Governor and work down" said Quaestorius. "His alibi is, after all, a trifle flawed by the fact that his office has a second door through which he could leave, without passing by Aitas Fornas Lussus. And I have puzzled that a man who does not strike me as normally tolerant should permit his son's lover to live in his household."

"Especially when many condemn the practice" said Kiliana.

"Quite so" Quaestorius nodded agreement. "And yet Governor Carcillius Boradan Lussus is a bit of an enigma – and there is more to him than the crass, loudmouthed bully that his apparent type often is. Indeed I get the feeling that though he is a forceful personality, if there is something his wife really wants, Lussus will go out of his way to make it happen."

"So you think it is she who asked that their son be permitted his lover to live in?" asked Kiliana.

"Actually, no" said Quaestorius. "I intercepted a look she gave to Mitchellis Corlen Drusus; it was equivocal but I don't think she likes him. Unless she's playing the game of throwing him together with young Loridas until the boy sees through the shining light of first love."

"I can see that would make sense in a way" said Kiliana, cautiously.

"Yes, it would," said Quaestorius, irritably, "but somehow I don't see it. I – there was a moment when I thought of Lussus as being suddenly vulnerable. It was when he was speaking of his son. He said that he would mind him being a dreamer and a fop less if he were clever, like his mother. That was when I got the inkling that maybe though they are not suited as marital partners, Carcillius and Morilla get on well enough when estranged and that he will take the recommendations of a clever person whose brains he seems to admire."

Kiliana nodded her effulgent locks.

"There's an awfully big difference between respecting someone's ability and wanting to be married to them" she said. "I really REALLY respect Librarian Ancalon but I shouldn't want to be his wife."

"Quite so" said Quaestorius. "It was then that Lussus told me about his son's relationship and how he was disappointed that he would not have grandchildren. But it seemed to me that he tolerated his son's lover, because, rather than despite, not being able to understand his son. He seems desperate to reach out to Loridas and has chosen to show little of his disapproval as the only means he can think of to demonstrate that he loves his son. Loridas, the ungrateful young idiot, has not realised the concession he has from his father."

"Maybe now you have made a suggestion to him and won his support he might recognise it" sad Kiliana.

"One can hope so" sighed Quaestorius. "However, what I was building up to was the idea that in trying to placate Loridas, if this young man Gordius Clemens was causing disharmony between Loridas and Mitchellis, might not Lussus have struck him down in anger engendered by trying to protect his son? Suppose after the young idiot propositioned Clemens, Clemens went to Lussus and threatened to make it public? It could damage the whole family."

Kiliana sighed and looked at the clay face.

"On paper, it seems possible, but, Leo, I cannot believe it when I look into this face! And moreover, did not Ancalon send message that he had never done wrong? To go thus to Lussus is blackmail, isn't it?"

"It is" said Quaestorius. "And yes, it is hard to believe it. But consider if he went to Lussus in the spirit of duty, believing that Loridas was wrong and feeling that he should be exposed? Such would not be a wrong in his eyes, and Emperor's Love, if he felt threatened by the importunities of that heavy handed sex-mad young fool, it would not only not be wrong but would be a brave and righteous thing."

"I hadn't thought of that" said Kiliana, candidly. "I knew I had your protection, and Burdock's, but this young man who is lower born than these three-name wonders might have felt vulnerable. And it would also explain the vicious attack on his face, the pretty face that had tempted Loridas to indiscretion."

"Indeed" said Quaestorius.

"The thing is, that sticks in the gullet" said Kiliana "The thought of Lussus managing to plan all that. I don't doubt his ability and coolness in carrying it through, but he doesn't strike me as smart enough to think of disguising the body as a, er, spare heretic."

"I DO wish Burdock had never come up with that description" said Quaestorius irritably. "I have to say that I have considered the idea that if Lussus did it, Morilla Plina Lussa undertook the planning in covering it up. Which is why I have been trying to establish in my own mind whether I think that he would turn to her in a crisis; and I believe that he would. She is more than capable of telling him what to do and leaving him to carry it out with perfect despatch, and even necessary embellishments, once given the basic direction for he is not a stupid man. I would wager – if it were proper for a member of the Inquisition to do so – that it was on her suggestion that he called in the marines to deal with the chaos. He is clever enough to realise when he needs better brains than he has himself, and I have to admit it, man enough to take the recommendations of others when it is necessary. Even as he is man enough to swallow pride to maintain a relationship with his son."

"He's not the muscle-bound perfect soldier he first looks, is he?" said Kiliana.

"I confess I'm beginning to find him quite astute" said Quaestorius. "And that brings us to Aitas Fornas Lussus who is superficially cleverer than his older relative but I should have said much less shrewd."

"The story he told about why he was panting – it seems very thin" said Kiliana.

"It does" said Quaestorius. "And that makes me wonder if he really was exercising or whether he had been hurrying after manhandling a body and a freezing unit. If he had been exercising, I presume that it was with the express intention of coming more to the attention of his employer and relative. I suspect he is fiercely jealous of Loridas, and resents him being in the situation of the son of the house, where he, the son of a cousin, has no claims on the family. Lussus told me that he would prefer Aitas to have been his son, and possibly has said so to Aitas too, but I think it was not strictly true even if he believes it himself."

"I don't understand" said Kiliana. "How can you believe a lie about your own feelings?"

"Because, my child, Lussus is a creature of convention; and convention dictates that he should prefer Aitas to Loridas. But he still feels that bond with his own son, and I fancy that Aitas is aware of that. And I think him ready to do Loridas any ill turn."

"He didn't like me asking him a question" said Kiliana "Do you think HE thought me a boy too, and has a – a down on pretty boys whom he thinks are like Loridas? Do you think he is secretly attracted to boys and hates it in himself as being like his cousin and so might have killed Gordius Clemens because he too felt tempted by him?"

Quaestorius stared.

"My dear child! Such perspicacity!" he said. "Yes he was rude to you. I assumed he merely disliked the idea of answering one he saw as a menial. But what you say has some merit. I have to say, by the way, that Loridas did NOT seem to consider it unbelievable that his cousin should exercise to ingratiate himself with Lussus – and I should say too that he may not be as clever as his mother, but he can run rings round Aitas in any verbal battle. And if Aitas has hidden feelings, part of his resentment of Loridas might be that Loridas feels able to be open about it – incidentally expressing the fact that he does have a better relationship with his father than is superficially apparent – and part too might be if he has any feelings of attraction towards Loridas himself."

"Or to Mitchellis, and is jealous that Loridas has attracted him" said Kiliana.

"Dear me!" said Quaestorius "We might have quite a possible love-tangle here! Though I would suspect if Aitas is attracted to men, his precise motives for jealousy of Loridas are probably so complex that he could not, himself, tell you precisely why. Which feelings would be in addition to the natural jealousy of being the poor relation when he is able to be more of a son to Lussus, he thinks, than Loridas. And yet he never joined the military – and any healthy mind in a healthy body is something he has taken up recently purely to look good. Or he would not be panting so much for the exercise" he added. "Whether the exercise really was press ups or whether it was running about rearranging our corpse, he would only pant heavily if he were not optimally fit. And that would be why he was half ashamed, if he WERE exercising" he mused "Because he knows he still falls short of Lussus' ideal, and that he feels thus is displayed by his reluctance to admit to being sickened by the executions. I had struggled for a motive in him but anger over being tempted – especially if he had succumbed – dear me, not unlike that frothing lunatic back in the Praetorian camp where we met" he added.

"So when we question them again, do you want me to be gender ambiguous still or do you want me dressed as a girl?" asked Kiliana, her nose twitching. "Manipulating people to make them blurt things out is fun, isn't it?"

"Horrid child" said Quaestorius. "The subtle application of psychological forces is a valid and useful technique… oh very well, you pernicious brat, you win; it can be fun" he said.

Kiliana chuckled up at him. He touched her face with one long finger.

"You are going to grow up to be altogether too beautiful for the peace of mind of most men," he said seriously, "and I hope you will not become too manipulative of people in using your looks. That was what that wretched woman Cybele did."

Kiliana shuddered.

"That's enough to make me steer clear of it" she said. "I – it seemed innocent enough pleasure to watch how people jump."

"If you can keep it to wanting to watch, and use it for the good of investigations, I cannot think it is any harm" said Quaestorius. "It is only if you begin to use it to get your own way that it is like her. And to my mind a wrong thing to do."

Kiliana nodded.

"I agree" she said. "I would wish to avoid being like her at all costs!"

"Back to the suspects" said Quaestorius. "The two women I am inclined to dismiss – with the proviso that if Lussus did it, his wife helped with the planning. She is too frail a person to manage the physical exertion required… and that's a point in the favour of Lussus actually; I think he would have little trouble moving the freezer chest, and that would have left less scuff marks where it was manhandled."

"She might be stronger than she looks, but I don't think so" said Kiliana. "If she did it, she'd have needed to involve a servant, and you can't totally rule that out but it seems an awful risk to involve a servant in it."

"Once again your grasp of the obvious shames me" said Quaestorius. "Yes, with a devoted family servant as a helper, Morilla does become a viable suspect on her own, for similar reasons to those I'd ascribe to her husband. Astalliana is not. I cannot see that she would have anything to gain and everything to lose. She is a fit and well built young woman and could probably have managed the necessary moving of heavy objects but her daughters can corroborate that she went walking with them – and it would be a dreadful risk to hope they would not say anything. Also she showed no signs of either discomfort or triumph over my examination of the alcove where the freezer was kept – nothing but concern for her daughters. And why WOULD she kill him?"

"What if she'd had an affaire with him and was afraid he might tell the Governor?" said Kiliana. "Especially if her unborn child was his. It might be possible to conceal that when the face that sired her baby was not around, and being not around in a permanent way might have seemed prudent."

"My dear child, you are a natural born inquisitor; you have a mind like a lavatorium!" said Quaestorius, ruffling her curls to take away any sting from such a comment. "Another plausible thought! And yet – and yet the slashes on his face were made with real hatred. It does not somehow ring true."

"I did not know about the slashes" said Kiliana. "Well only superficially from your brief description of what had happened. It does change things; I can't see Astalliana hating anyone that much."

"But you are quite correct to postulate the theory" said Quaestorius. "Moving on; we have Mitchellis and the jealousy motif. We know he is jealous of Loridas looking at other men – I can see why, the little flirt" he added "– and he has no alibi beyond his triumphal non-alibi. He took Loridas to task for flirting with Clemens; and it was he who told Loridas that Clemens had gone away. Though we have to consider that he was just repeating what the soldiery said" he said.

"Speaking of what the soldiery said" said Kiliana "Are we going to ask them if they knew Clemens' sexual preferences and if he felt strongly about them? And if he might have felt threatened? He might have said something to a comrade that might confirm or deny any suspicions we have of Lussus or Aitas. And while we are at it, Loridas spoke of him telling witty stories. Which might not have been intended to be malicious but which might have been seen as such by someone and might even shift suspicion from the household itself to one of the household guard."

"You are right" said Quaestorius "And that is where we shall go next after I have finished this exposition of my thoughts on our suspects. After Mitchellis – whom Emperor knows I dislike enough for his studied insolence to want to be guilty and so I must guard myself against seeing what is not there – there is Torquillan. Who wanted the bodies kept here, and who took an unconscionable time over purifying himself."

"And you are thinking of the unclean lusts of Eliezer Cringe and his thoughts running on punishment, are you not," said Kiliana "In the same way as we were thinking about Aitas. Could it be that the fanatical little creep was ill, even as Aitas admitted to, and he does not want to admit it?"

"It's a thought" said Quaestorius. "And I suppose he could be as fatuously convinced of his need for such long devotions. We need too to speak to his acolytes."

"Well let us get something to eat first" said Kiliana sensibly. "It's going to be a long afternoon."


	9. Chapter 9

**9**

After Burdock had returned and Quaestorius had ordered a meal brought to them, they all set out to question various people. Quaestorius despatched Kiliana and Burdock to speak to the soldiery while he intimidated acolytes. Only the Inquisitor himself was likely to get anywhere with the ecclesiarchy.

He strode into the temple.

One of the Ecclesiasts started to protest, then recognised him and subsided.

"Find me an office I can use and have all the acolytes under Father Torquilan and anyone who was with him on the day of the execution summoned" said Quaestorius peremptorily. He paused, stared into the man's eyes with a chilly gaze from his own hooded but compelling light grey eyes. "Do follow my instructions fully and absolutely" he added silkily "I shall know what to think if you fail me."

The ecclesiast made a hasty and rather perfunctory eagle sign and scurried off, shaken. Quaestorius gave a mirthless smile. The fellow HAD been going to forget to summon someone – probably a friend of his – and would now do exactly as he was asked. Believing that the Inquisitor was a more powerful psyker than he really was and that he had been the recipient of mind reading would make him most scrupulous. It was always helpful to use that trick; few people were as totally scrupulous as they should be, even if their neglect of duty was more out of laziness than malice.

The reputation for reading thoughts, whilst undeserved, was useful.

An acolyte scurried up. He seemed very young.

"Please follow me, My Lord" he piped. "There is an office you can use this way, it's the rooms reserved for visiting ecclesiasts."

"Thank you, son" said Quaestorius. "Do you work under Father Torquilan?"

"Not really, My Lord" said the youth "Though I was in the vicinity when he came back from the executions. Does that count?"

"It does if you are able to tell me what he did" said Quaestorius, following the youth to a small but well-appointed office that served as an anteroom to a sleeping chamber too. The boy did not seem to need time to consider his answer.

"Why yes, My Lord; we all knew" he said. "He was off on one of his rants about Space Marines you know; please, My Lord, is it true that their faith is fragile? I shouldn't have thought they'd be allowed to continue if it was."

"Ah, an intelligent and open mind" said Quaestorius. "What is your name, brother?"

"I am Brother Crotellus" said the boy. "So it's not true?"

"Not in the least" said Quaestorius. "Some of the practices of some of the chapters of the Adeptus Astartes are sufficiently out of the ordinary as to make the small minded fear them and fear that they cannot handle their differences. Only the best are chosen as Marines; some few might become tainted by chaos, but that can happen to any. As it happened to the seventeen otherwise unremarkable heretics who were executed here" he added. One might as well improve the shining hour and hope that the boy would retain an open mind. "Wherever you end up, remember that the mercy of the Emperor is boundless and seek to love your fellow men more than you condemn any sins they may commit."

"I WILL my lord!" said the youth earnestly. "Please, have you any advice for me to follow in the seminary?"

"Yes" said Quaestorius. "It boils down to keep your mouth shut and your mind and your bowels open; or in the longer version, question everything but not necessarily out loud; listen and make up your own mind about anything you are taught; take nothing for granted; and take care of your health. I hesitate to use the hackneyed phrase 'a healthy mind in a healthy body' but neglecting your bodily needs will interfere with your ability to reason" he gave his rare, sweet smile rather ruefully "And I am a poor example to talk since when I am engrossed in a case I have been known to forget to eat or sleep. Having a staff to remind me is useful however" he added. "How long was Torquilan's, er, rant?"

"Oh, well over half an hour" said Crotellus. "He never liked them but since that well dressed fellow pointed out that the heretics shouldn't be put on a ship with those of fragile faith he's been worse."

Quaestorius' eyes narrowed.

"Which well dressed fellow?" he asked.

Crotellus flushed.

"I'm sorry, sir, I don't know all of the Governor's household" he said. "I've never been interested and I didn't find out what he was called. He was one of the younger ones, not the Governor; I know _him_" he added. "I was carrying Father Torquilan's incense to him from the temple as he was running low, and I heard the conversation as I approached Father Torquilan. I was pretty worried about it because I thought that the Space Marines were better able to deal with any chaos if it used one of the heretics to manifest than we are in the temple, but of course I didn't say anything. An acolyte as new as me doesn't argue with an Ecclesiast."

Quaestorius grunted.

"Yes, probably wise at that" he said. "What did he do when the rant had wound down?"

"He went to purify himself" said Crotellus. "He went to his chambers to wash first and by the Hora Prima he was in the temple praying. Is it a conceit to pray loudly?"

"Hrm" said Quaestorius. "That verges on a criticism of your superior's practices of prayer and might almost be sanctimonious. Try to avoid that. Some men feel a need to approach the Blessed Emperor in a louder, more flamboyant way than others because they feel themselves to be inadequate – deep down inside, whatever exterior appearance of self confidence they exude. Such men are deserving of compassion."

Was it entirely wrong to get a stab of guilty pleasure at the thought of Torquilan wondering why this young acolyte might turn pitying looks on him? He was a little man, and deserving of compassion, though Quaestorius found it hard to give it. He prayed silently for the desire to feel compassion towards the likes of Torquilan.

"I'm sorry, My Lord" said Crotellus, abashed. Quaestorius smiled an austere smile at him.

"You are young and have much to learn" he said "And you should be warned that there are those who will take your natural exuberance and desire to ask questions as pertness. Was he praying until the Hora Secunda?"

"Just before, anyway" said Crotellus. "Then he went up to the Governor's palace."

Quaestorius nodded. That fitted in well enough and seemed to exonerate Torquilan. He would speak to the other acolytes however. He dismissed Crotellus, and asked him to send in the first person who was waiting to see the Inquisitor.

Quaestorius spoke with four more acolytes and another ecclesiast.

Their stories tallied with each other but not entirely with what Clotellus had said. Quaestorius sent each in turn to wait in the sleeping chamber; it would grow a little cramped but that was their problem. Bodily discomfort could be overcome by prayer that might also touch their lying consciences.

He called them all back in as a body.

"I believe" he said with a chillingly quiet voice "That some construe lying to an Inquisitor to be heresy."

There were some scared looks, a guilty shuffle or two.

Quaestorius unwound his long body like a steel spring to a standing position and slapped his hand hard on the desk.

They all flinched.

"I am waiting!" he said.

"My lord" said the other ecclesiast nervously "Father Torquilan gave a brief address before purifying himself. I – we did not think that this was important."

"When I question witnesses about the whereabouts of a suspect in a murder investigatus the least thing is important" said Quaestorius, icily. "And frankly a tale of anyone requiring two hours to purify himself is unbelievable in the extreme. As well as being a very nebulous tale. You" he stabbed a finger towards one of the acolytes "You will tell me in more detail starting with the subject of Father Torquilan's address. I see the thought of the Blood Angels in your thoughts" he thought he would take away their fear of mentioning it by implying psyker powers again.

"P-please My Lord, it has then made you more suspicious of Father Torquilan because the Prior said that we should be circumspect?" said the young man, scared and impressed. He showed no surprise at Quaestorius' comment about Blood Angels, which was confirmation of what the boy Crotellus had said. The boy was so insignificant that the Prior had forgotten to brief him to keep quiet.

"It has; now comply with my orders" said Quaestorius.

"He – Father Torquilan – gave a talk on the fragility of the faith of Space Marines, and then he bathed and then he prayed for almost an hour" said the acolyte promptly.

Quaestorius nodded.

"At last the truth, if a little bald and leaving out some of the essentials of the, er, address" he said. "I will not ask you to repeat the words your Prior used to keep silence about your intemperate colleague's near heretical beliefs. I will see the Prior myself before I leave this….colony…. to inform him that his duty is to find ways to instruct those whose beliefs skirt heresy, not to try to cover up their perfidious teachings. You may inform him of this if you like. You may go now and you may also inform the Prior that if this was his way to get Torquilan put to the question he is to be disappointed. I will not be misled by a bunch of inept liars" He paused to let that sink in. "Now send me the lay servant who was responsible for cleaning the lavatoria on the day of the executions, those nearest the balcony from which we viewed the executions. I have some questions."

Quaestorius did not have to wait long for a scared lay servant to arrive. The inquisitor smiled kindly.

"Be easy" he said to the old man "There is no slur on your character; I merely want to know if there was extra mess to clean up after the executions."

The old man scratched his chin which was in need of a shave.

"Well me lud, there was a load of vomit" he said. "Messy too; whoever had thrown up hadn't got it all in the pan. Couldn't forget that."

"The Emperor is glad that you perform your tasks well and diligently; and I have the authority to offer you a chit for your extra trouble" said Quaestorius, who had written out a chit for a monetary reward in case of this. Cleaning up vomit was unpleasant; and had not there been a plot to keep the men here, this unfortunate man would not have had to deal with the aftermath of any unable to contain his physical revulsion. The power to reward was one of the better sides of being an inquisitor!

oOoOo

"What did you find out?" asked Quaestorius.

Kiliana half considered suggesting that the Inquisitor share what he had found first, caught his expression, as she peeped up at him, and decided that it might be a bad idea.

"We spoke to a Captain Oberus Rostius" she said. "Burdock was given his name by the soldiers who knew Gordius Clemens."

"Dey was very sad to hear dat it wuz dis Clemens wot was dead, sah" said Burdock. "Dey wants you to do over whoever done it good an' hard."

"He seems to have been generally very popular" said Kiliana "Only one man had anything to say against him, and that was because he seemed to be the unit grumbler. Not, we thought, the sort of man who'd take his grumbles into DOING anything about it – you know."

Quaestorius nodded. He knew.

"An' all he could find to say wuz dat people wit' funny stories kep' honest folk – he meant himself – awake at night" said Burdock. "Dem stories, sah, none of dem wasn't against no-one real."

"That seems to rule out that as a possibility then" said Quaestorius, who decided not to mention that such stories might be thinly veiled references to real people – or even if they were not, that someone with an uneasy conscience might take them as such.

"The Captain reckoned he wasn't any more than an adequate soldier" said Kiliana "But that his cheerful demeanour and fund of jokes and stories were good for morale which was worth more than being a bit of an idiot at times and unable to hit a Leman Russ at more than five paces."

"Happy troops fights better" put in Burdock, nodding sagely and dislodging a fine dusting of detritus from his scalp.

"Captain Orberus Rostius was a bit loath to come across with much" said Kiliana "Because in another four years he hits his long service record working for the Lussus family and then he gets to have three names – Orberus Lussan Rostius, he was ready to boast about it. But I told him that he needed to continue in good health in the guards in order to see that long service. I didn't exactly threaten him, but he got the point right away" she added.

"Perhaps not necessary but at least fairly subtly applied" said Quaestorius. "Was it worth it?"

Kiliana nodded vigorously and her effulgent curls bobbed.

"He came across with the information that Gordius Clemens had asked him for advice on how to refuse the young master – that's Loridas" she explained, unnecessarily " – without hurting his feelings on account of how Loridas had made sure the soldiers got supplies they were supposed to have when some creep was selling them. And the Captain said that he thought that Clemens only liked girls really but that he liked Loridas as a person and genuinely did not want to hurt him. Which might be seen as making up to him, I suppose?" she added doubtfully.

"I fancy that with the seething jealousies involved here, our perpetrator was not especially interested in the facts, having already made up his mind" said Quaestorius dryly. "If Loridas sorted out a piece of corruption there's more to him than there appears; he might even make a worthy successor to his father. Why should so mild a piece of information seem to the Captain that his chance of his third name should be compromised?"

"In case he was thought to be criticising a member of the family by mentioning that Loridas had propositioned Clemens" said Kiliana "But when I told him that Loridas had already admitted to that he relaxed visibly. I can't think that it's very healthy to have position and promotion relying on patronage you know. You can't get above the rank of Captain here unless you've got the three names."

Quaestorius sighed.

"No, my child, it is not healthy; but by one form or another, I'm afraid it's very common. The use of patronage is a very human failing. Now let me tell you what I have found and see what you think."

Kiliana and Burdock listened. Kiliana's eyes sparkled with anger.

"Why, it's iniquitous for those who claim to speak for the Emperor as His Right Hands to LIE to one of His Left Hands!" she said. "Especially over such a relative triviality!"

Quaestorius sighed

"Alas, yes; they fear, however, that I might take exception to Torquilan's near heresy – indeed I do – and might send Marines to punish the foolish cult that has sprung up that mistrusts them. I will be speaking to the Prior regarding his duty to see that this cult is suppressed, for how anyone can doubt those who are their saviours without considering that it is gross ingratitude as well as foolishness I do not know. However that is by the by, alas; the Emperor's Right Hand is oft times jealous of His sons and seeks to find ways to undermine them. Jealousy! The cause of much evil" he sighed.

"Can we be sure which of the two younger men who could be jealous was the one responsible?" asked Kiliana.

"Yes" said Quaestorius serenely. "Now I am certain in my own mind, the rest will be easy."


	10. Chapter 10

**10**

Quaestorius surveyed the household of Governor Carcillius Boradan Lussus. They were all nervous and expectant. The Inquisitor had brought some of Gordius Clemens' friends with him to make an arrest on the understanding that they kept their own council and did not interrupt him.

"The identity of the murdered man has been discovered" he said "And this is the likeness of him" he drew a cloth from where it covered the reconstructed face.

Morilla Plina Lussa made an exclamation of disgust.

"Another of the parasites who wanted to use my poor boy!" she moaned softly. Quaestorius fixed her with a steely gaze.

"Actually Lady Morilla, I have independent witnesses to the fact that your son propositioned this young man, who turned him down, after seeking advice from a superior officer in how to do so without causing offence – because he preferred girls. Not a parasite at all. And with that comment you should be pleased that I ruled you out as a murderer for both lack of physical strength and lack of personality sufficient to enlist the aid of a strong servant to do your bidding. Had you taken a firmer line with your son at an earlier age, he might have had the moral fibre not to be the flirt he is and to attract a better class of lover than parasites."

"Inquisitor, do you count ME as a parasite?" Mirchellis Corlen Drussus spoke in a light, amused tone.

"Why, do you do an honest day's work and turn over some of your earnings to the household expenses?" asked Quaestorius. "No, I thought not" he added as Mitchellis gaped. Two angry spots of colour appeared on the young man's face.

"So you include that Astalliana in that do you?" snarled Mitchellis.

"Astalliana has given quite a lot back in return for her living" said Quaestorius "She has already given the Governor two daughters and is carrying his child. The situation is scarcely the same. She is also a companion to Lady Morilla and has the ordering of the kitchen staff, sharing the duties of the lady of the house with Lady Morilla. The ladies I quickly ruled out of this investigation on a number of factors. Not least being that this bold crime required that the body of Gordius Clemens had to be taken to the place where the dead heretics were laid out, and though the soldiers involved in this might have been shaken enough to fail to notice a man they did not know well, they would have assuredly noticed a woman. At which point speculation over whether Astalliana's muscles are strong enough and whether Lady Morilla had help become superfluous."

"So I should think" said the Governor.

Quaestorius turned his hooded gaze on him.

"You had opportunity yourself, Governor, to use the second door out of the office and therefore time to do it – and until I had the measure of the victim's personality enough pride in your family and love for your son to dispose of a possible blackmailer. That he was unlikely to be so tends to make you less likely as a murder suspect, as do other facts, though had you done it I would have thought the planning would have come from the fertile brain of your wife."

"Preposterous!" the Governor reddened. "The idea that I should murder a man I mean, or if I were so lost to shame that I should involve my wife! We might be estranged but I know what I owe her for giving me a son!"

"However unsatisfactory he might be" said Aitas Fornas Lussus with a superior smile.

"You keep your tongue off my son" flared the Governor. "The Inquisitor is right about one thing – I would protect him because I do love him, and he's hit on the only motive I might ever have. But I didn't do it because the fellow wasn't a blackmailer. Rotten sort of soldier but at least no trouble" he added.

Quaestorius hid a little smile. Throwing in contentious comments almost always brought out the truth in squabbling. There were few communities or families so close knit that adversity did not break them apart more than it drew them together – when that adversity was the threat of being accused.

"It was but a thought over possibilities" he murmured.

The Governor, unexpectedly, laughed.

"Actually, not a possibility" he said. "Have you ever seen anyone use the door out of my office, inquisitor? Because if not, perhaps you would go and do so."

"I'll go, My Lord" said Kiliana. "It is unseemly that you should leave the suspects."

Quaestorius nodded.

The office was at some distance to the big antechamber in which the household were assembled but the squeak of a little used door sticking as it slid back was audible.

Quaestorius nodded.

"A quite graphic demonstration" he said.

Kiliana bounced back in.

"I'm afraid it's stuck" she said. "But it howled all the way to sticking like a chaos noise marine with piles."

Loridas laughed in genuine amusement.

"A graphic description" murmured Quaestorius. "It was indeed audible in here; thank you, child."

"He is a pert brat" said Mitchellis, giving Kiliana a venomous look.

"Whom did you mean, Mitchellis Corlen Drusus?" asked Quaestorius.

"Why that red haired boy" growled the handsome young man. The look on his face robbed it of any good looks and the anger in his body robbed it of the languid elegance he normally affected.

"Boy? My apprentice is a girl. Are you so confused about gender that you cannot tell the difference? A trifle insulting to Loridas Carcillan Lussus" said Quaestorius. "Didn't I hear that you were angry with Gordius Clemens for NOT being attracted to other men?"

"Nonsense! He was too attractive not to be one of us!" stated Mitchellis too loudly.

"His looks don't hardly have anything to do with it do they?" said Kiliana "After all, Loridas is quite good looking, which most girls might consider an awful waste of a live one, but you're an ugly old…."

"Kiliana!" said Quaestorius.

Kiliana subsided.

"He ain't very bright is he?" said Burdock looking at Mitchellis as if he were some strange specimen on display.

Being called stupid by an Ogryn had Mitchellis almost gibbering in outrage.

Loridas had been listening to the Inquisitor carefully.

He moved over to his father and placed a hand on his arm.

"I am glad to know that my father would have defended me even with murder" he said "And I am equally glad that it was not necessary. But you say that Gordius Clemens preferred women?"

"'Course he did young master!" one of the soldiers spoke up. "Sent all his pay back to his best girl he did and used all his energy on writing to her. Cor, I bet those letters smoked!"

"I did ask for no interruptions" said Quaestorius.

"I know, My Lord; but I can't apologise, because I must set the young master straight about my friend" said the soldier.

Quaestorius gave a curt nod.

"There you have confirmation of my word, Loridas Carcillan Lussus since you appear to doubt it" he said.

Loridas flushed.

"It is not that I doubt your word, but that Mitchellis had said over and over that Gordius was gazing on me with lust" he said.

"I fear that jealousy placed that falsehood into his own mind" said Quaestorius. "That and fear of being supplanted by a younger, better looking lover so he would lose his soft living. For all his proud name I suspect his family to be impoverished. And it is now time to reveal that there are seething undercurrents of jealousy in this unhappy household that could have led to the savage spoiling of the handsome face of a youth whose only crime was to be too attractive and to attract the wrong sort of attention from either one of the two who ended up as serious suspects. You should all pray to the Blessed Emperor to rid your hearts of jealousy. Jealousy marked this young man's face with vicious slashes that were covered with burns in an amateurish attempt to make it look as though he had been tortured. The perpetrator" said Quaestorius with some smugness "Did not realise that I am so good that, with specialised aid, I had no need of torture to gain information."

"By involving one of those treacherous Blood Marines" snapped Torquilan.

Quaestorius rounded on him.

"THOSE MARINES SAVED YOUR SORRY HIDE AND THE WORTHLESS BACKSIDES OF EVERY LAST HOPLESS SOUL ON THIS WORTHLESS FACILITY FROM CHAOS, YOU UNGRATEFUL HERETIC!" he used the full volume his voice could reach, which was considerable. Quaestorius had opted for voice control lessons during his training as an Inquisitor.

Torquilan fell back.

"My Lord!" he actually squeaked "I am no heretic!"

"You certainly flirt with heresy in listening to the poison whispers of one who wanted a group of bodies to hide an extra one amongst" said Quaestorius coldly "And in failing to take into account that the Left Hand of the Emperor would not permit the continuation of the Adeptus Astartes were there ANY question of their loyalty and faith. You question the Inquisition as well – and I do not want to hear any more from you. I held you as a serious suspect for a long time, knowing how fragile some ecclesiastical vows can be, and having come across, not too long ago, an ecclesiast who liked to use the common soldiery to whom he was confessor and fill their simple minds with guilt so they would not speak of his outrages on their persons – as any forced coupling is always an outrage. It seemed too long a time to take two hours to purify yourself, but as I know you were indulging in your heretical ravings against the Space Marines for a part of that time I can – regretfully – exonerate you from murder and merely consider what to do about your heresy. No, I said I do not want to hear from you" as Torquilan opened his mouth. The ecclesiast shut it again and subsided in terror.

"Can I throw him out now sah?" asked Burdock, hopefully.

"By all means, Burdock" said Quaestorius "He is not truly of this household and he is now superfluous to requirement."

"C'mon you" said Burdock, manhandling Torquilan none too gently. He reminded the giant Ogryn too much of Eliezer Cringe. "De Inquisitor said he don't want you no more. I don't want you no more neither" he added.

Torquilan had little choice but to go.

"Masterly, er, Burdock" said Loridas. His voice was tight though he tried to sound light in tone.

"And now" said Quaestorius "To the two jealous parties. Aitas Fornas Lussus! You are jealous of your cousin Loridas for being born to Governor Lussus and you only to a cousin; and you have done all in your power to try to replace him in his father's affections. And perhaps you were coming close to succeeding, until all the family were under threat of accusation of murder and Carcillius Boradan Lussus began reflecting on whom he did not want to turn out to be guilty. And discovered how much his son meant to him. And indeed how he reflected that your regimen of exercise was needed to bring you to a level of fitness that most recruits would surpass. And at that point he began wondering, I suspect, how much of your apparent good points were but lies. And I wonder whether, like me, he has wondered if your protestations of disgust over your cousin's predilections hid a secret preference for other men yourself."

"I hadn't got that far Inquisitor but I wouldn't say you're wrong" said Lussus.

Aitas paled.

"It isn't true!" he cried. "And what motive would I have for killing this man anyway?"

"One of several" said Quaestorius. "If he turned you down, and you believed the jealous maunderings of Mitchellis that he was trying to interest Loridas in his, er, sexual charms you might kill him in a jealous rage, the frenzy made the more by wanting to be hurting and cutting Loridas but not daring to go that far. Or if your feelings do not run that way, you might have done so to hurt Loridas, and again to attack with a rage you would like to vent on Loridas for being the son of his father. And because you are basically a sycophantic cringing little man you would dare to do to a nameless soldier what you could not do to a patrician – either your cousin or his lover who has a proud family name even if he does choose to betray it in being a parasite. And variations on those themes. But you spoke the truth about being sickened by the executions and were impolite enough to let your sickness explode from your body without taking due care and attention to hit the pan. Which, with the testimonies of the Governor and Torquilan probably give you an alibi and clear you in other ways, because the cool hand that burned the body of the already mutilated young man needed a stronger stomach than you possess. Only a truly cold-hearted and unpleasant person could have inflicted such wounds."

"You are loathsome, Mitchellis; I just want to tell you that before they take you away" said Loridas in a low, controlled voice. "I would not have discarded you as a lover, even though I have behaved badly in flirting too much. And I would not have tried to flirt with Gordius if you had not told me he was hot for me. It was your own fault! I thought I loved you; but if you can kill a lovely and harmless young man like that, and look with undisguised hatred on the Inquisitor's assistant who has done you no harm, then you have only yourself to blame that my love has died and become a thing of ashes. The Inquisitor is right; you are a parasite, and I pray that one day I will find true love with a good man who will accept that I must marry for my line's sake, even as I pray I will find a wife who will accept me for what I am."

"I am proud of my son" said Carcillius Boradan Lussus "He's not physically strong but he has the cast iron ones to stand by what he is and still be prepared to do his duty for the family."

Mitchellis drew a knife and launched himself on Loridas.

The guardsmen were on him before he got very far. Quaestorius winced as he heard a rather horrible crunch. Lady Morilla was having hysterics and Astalliana was comforting her. The younger woman caught Quaestorius' eye and made a little querying gesture. Quaestorius nodded assent. Let her take Morilla away and calm her down. This was not a scene for a delicate woman. Astalliana on the other hand seemed quite satisfied. She would be able to tell her daughters that the bad man was dead.

"Did you have to kill him?" asked Quaestorius.

"Accident, Me Lud" said the soldier who had broken Mitchellis' neck. "He was struggling and it sort of just happened."

"Very well. Make sure when you write up your reports they all tally" said Quaestorius. "I don't want to hang around here investigating whether or not it really was an accident."

"Thank you sir" said one of the others.

"Well get rid of that and we won't say anything more about it" said Quaestorius before one of the young fools said anything effusive about Clemens being their friend. He waved a hand of dismissal and they hurried out with the corpse.

"I'm glad" said Loridas. "If he'd been tried there would have been elements of heresy in what he did. And up until I started to add things up for myself, I did love him."

"You will have more experience now and will choose more wisely another time" said Quaestorius. "And I know you will look for the sort of harmony in your household that your mother and Astalliana manage. Now go to your father you young fool and get on with some reconciliations; and let him be the one to suggest a change of secretary."

Loridas managed a watery grin.

"Yes Uncle Inquisitor" he said.

"Hmph!" grunted Quaestorius.

**Epilogue**

The interview with the Prior went as satisfactorily as might be expected; which is to say, Quaestorius used every bit of gentle intimidation he knew. He made the Prior himself go through an itemised list of the threats against the population of Tigris and the way the Space Marines had dealt with it – with, Quaestorius took a grim satisfaction in pointing out, losses to their number from the chaos horde – all without losing their faith. Quaestorius asked the Prior how many ecclesiasts in the colony had suggested withdrawing to safer places, abandoning their flocks on the casuistry of preserving the faith. By the time he had finished enumerating the number of ways the Prior and his underlings might find themselves under purge for heretical teachings the ecclesiast was in tears and begging for clemency.

The ecclesiasts of Tigris would be praying for forgiveness of the Eternal Emperor and performing penances under the Prior's watchful eye for long enough to keep their thoughts away from causing any more trouble.

Kiliana had imparted to Astalliana the information that the Inquisitor's given name was Leonidas so that this might be given as a name to her baby if he were a boy, or made into Leona if she were a girl, as the Inquisitor had dealt with the matter expeditiously and in a way that improved relations in the family and Astalliana wanted to celebrate that. As Aitas Fornus Lussus turned out to have lusts for women and had been trying to seduce Astalliana, threatening to tell the Governor that she had tried to seduce him, she was also delighted that the man had been dismissed as Lussus' secretary and an ageing military man taken on instead. The little girls were delighted that the bad man could not hurt anyone else and Quaestorius was talked into telling them stories while he and his staff waited for a transport off Tigris.

The transport came with orders for Quaestorius to get on the trail of some murders that hinted at a rogue Eversore Assassin and Quaestorius stifled a groan.

This was what came of having a reputation for solving mysteries.

Well, the Emperor's will be done.

**Finis**


End file.
